The Good Music Adventure

The Rest Is Silence

2008-01-02T23:07:00.000-05:00

Leonard B. Meyer, composer, professor, and author of "Emotion and Meaning in Music" has passed away. The New York Times has an obituary and recap of his life's work. I read his book in 1993 when I was just embarking upon my teaching career and it helped shape how I view music in our lives and culture and in my every day activities. He asked that his gravestone read Hamlet's dying words: "The rest is silence."

REPOST: The Canadian Brass - Gabrieli/Monteverdi

2007-12-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

This is an album of antiphonal Renaissance brass music by Claudio Monteverdi and Giovani Gabrieli that I got by mistake...and it was a good mistake! This was sent to me for not returning my monthly card to the Columbia CD club way back in 1990. It has turned out to be one of my all-time favorite albums. Although, not listed as a "Christmas" album, I always play it at the holiday times due to the fact that the Vespers of the Blessed Virgin by Claudio Monteverdi (who is also credited with writing the first true Opera) are true Christmas pieces from the Renaissance era.

The Canadian Brass, the long-standing brass quintet from north of the border, teams up with the principal brass players from both the New York Philharmonic and Boston Symphony Orchestra to perform these sensitive and yet powerful pieces written over 500 years ago. Recorded in a cathedral with various placements (the liner notes tell which ensemble can be heard on what channel - left, right, center), the resonance is amazing, and the power of the brass ensemble can be felt here like on no other recording I own, except perhaps some of DCI performances. The skill of the musicians is obvious, and the glory of music truly makes me feel the joy of the Christmas season. You can sample all the tracks from the album at Amazon.com, and my students can check this CD out from my Music Library. I would highly reccomend adding this recording to your library for the holidays or any time of year!

UPDATE: This album is now available on iTunes as well. Click here to go to the iTunes music store.

Franz Schubert - Ave Maria (Frank Ticheli, Arranger)

2007-11-19T20:43:00.000-05:00

Almost on a whim I dropped a piece...okay...two pieces from my upcoming Holiday concert to tackle a new setting of Franz Schubert's Ave Maria by Frank Ticheli, one of my favorite composers for band. I've conducted many a work by Mr. Ticheli over the years, but much like his setting of Amazing Grace, he milks every ounce of emotion out of this beautiful tune, keeping it quite true to the original piano piece, yet still infusing enough of his own personal style that it is unmistakably his. Not only is this a cool piece, but you can download a FREE mp3 of the piece from Manhattan Beach Music, as well as read the full program notes and instrumentation. What a great way to kick off the upcoming Christmas season!

1. Find Drum. 2. Grab Stick. 3. Bang! Boom!

2007-11-18T18:47:00.001-05:00

Fred Armisen from Saturday Night Live parodies all the other Rhythm Methods (no pun intended, Mr. Peart) and gets away with it. Can't wait for a promotional copy of this DVD to show up in my mailbox at school. Read all about it at the New York Times.

Drive Home Music - Bitter:Sweet

2007-11-15T22:20:00.000-05:00

On my way home from parent-teacher conferences tonight I caught a tune on my iPod that I didn't even know I had. I collected quite a few songs of the day from Starbucks over the last few weeks and just hadn't gotten around to listening to all of them yet. The band's name is Bitter:Sweet and the song is "Heaven (Nicola Conte 'West Coast Vibes' Remix)" and it's a cool laid back latin groove that I just had to drum along with on the steering wheel. It's the closest you might be able to get to the classic "Girl from Impanema" cut by the Gilbertos and Stan Getz. I was in a much better mood when I got home than I was when I left work. Can any of us ask for much more out of a song?

Video Game Marching Band Show

2007-11-15T09:10:00.000-05:00

Okay...I'm a music geek and a computer geek, which makes this video double the fun. This is pretty cool, even by my strange standards of entertainment. The University of California marching band did a "Video Game" halftime show this fall that plays music from Tetris, Zelda, and Mario. The drill is amazing with the drumline playing Pong with the cymbal line, Tetris blocks floating across the field, and even Mario jumping on the flag at the castle. It's filmed from the visitors side, so be aware that the drill is upside down, but still pretty cool. I'll look for a better video from the home side when I have some spare time, which will be in....well, June.

Are The Arts Important To You?

2007-11-14T11:39:00.000-05:00

Are the arts important to you? Is music an essential part of your life? Do you feel that your involvement in music in your school days was just as important as your academic pursuits? Do you believe you are a better student, citizen, and person due to your participation in musical performing groups while in high school? Do you feel that the arts are an essential part of a quality education and should not take a back seat or reduced role because politicians say that reading, writing, math, science, and social studies are much more important?

If you so believe, would you be willing to defend your position if called upon?

I'll keep you posted.

Listening To Music

2007-11-14T11:28:00.000-05:00

I'm so sorry it's been so long since I've posted on the Good Music Adventure. I took the Summer off to fully enjoy being with my family, then the Fairbanks Marching Band took more than a fair chunk of my time and it seems I have been eternally busy since. The Panthers made the playoffs and then a quick exit and marching band has wound down a bit. I still have two holiday parades in the next two weeks, but that it is. Then pep band beings. There really is no "off season" being a band/choir director.

I've updated "what I am listening to now" in the left column of the blog, as well as changed the look of the page to try and freshen up the visual impact as well as refresh my desire to write. Don't get me wrong..I've been listening to LOTS of music over the last six months, investigating some new artists as well as returning to some old stand-bys. I saw Bela Fleck and the Flecktones live for the first time in Dayton, Ohio this Summer and it was everything I expected it to be and more. I've listened to the Flaming Lips enough that I'm actually starting to understand what it's all about, and I've sunk into the depths with Jeff Tweedy and Wilco, both on their newest album "Sky Blue Sky" as well as older adventures with "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" and "A Gost Is Born." I am much different musically than I was six months ago and I'm liking the direction my listening is taking me. I'm pondering spending the 9.99 on the new Jay-Z album, but I'm not sure I am really ready for a new dose of Hova yet. I'll keep you posted.

So. What have you been listening to lately?

It Was FORTY Years Ago Today

2007-06-02T08:58:00.000-04:00

I simply cannot believe it is the fortieth anniversary of The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. I was not alive when it was released on June 1, 1967, but I was around when it celebrated its twentieth anniversary.

Here's an article that give a nice perspective on the importance of Sgt. Pepper at MSNBC.com.

Have a great weekend!

This Might Be A Bad Idea (Take Two)

2007-04-24T20:57:00.000-04:00

Apparently there's something in the water or the air or something infecting everyone with the "let's turn this thing into a Broadway musical" fever. I just mentioned a few days ago about Marvel Comics and U2 planning a Spider Man musical. It seems strange to me, but then again I never thought I would see puppets singing about racism and porn on Broadway either, let alone that same musical winning a Tony award.

According to Rolling Stone magazine, Aaron Sorkin, creator of The West Wing and Studio 64 on the Sunset Strip, has been signed on to collaborate with the Wayne Coyne and the Flaming Lips to bring their 2002 album Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots to the stage. The strange story of a karate-chick fighting and army of robots will feature new songs, as well as some Lips material from other albums to bring the unusual story to life.

While I find the work quite creative, the story is a bit hokey (and OUT THERE) and may not appeal to a wide enough audience to fill the seats on the great white way.

As I did with with Spider Man, I wish them the best of luck. If it's magnificent, you can slap me and call me Patsy, but I have my doubts. Successful or not, I'll be interested in seeing it...maybe as art, maybe as the car crash from which I just cannot look away.

I Think This Might Be A Bad Idea

2007-04-20T11:01:00.000-04:00

Hey, I'm all for superheroes. I'm a big fan. I'm also an admirer of the Broadway musical scene as well. However, apparently U2's Bono and the Edge have been approached about writing music for a "Spiderman" broadway musical. I must be honest that I'm skeptical, and that's being conservative. If they pull it off, I'll eat my words, but I have a hunch they might have a flop on their hands.

Anyways, I ran into Spiderman on Broadway last Spring...and trust me...it was quite disappointing.

Harry Connick, Jr. (feat. Lucien Barbarin) - Luscious

2007-04-02T21:30:00.000-04:00

One of my new fav albums is Harry Connick's big "b" side to his latest vocal album, Oh, My Nola. Released on Wynton Marsalis's jazz label, Chanson du Vieux Carre is mostly instrumental jazz, although it does feature a few vocals from Connick's band members. Luscious features both vocals and a killer trombone solo by Lucien Barbarin. His solo playing in this track is just get down, growlin, kick a** bone playing.

Connick takes a back seat with his piano playing, but he's definitely getting better and better with his arranging skills. I heard Connick interviewed about recording this CD and he mentioned how great the performance of his band was, especially since they entire group toured for months before going into the recording studio. The group is tight and in tune with each other, and really show how capable they are of getting down and dirty. You'll love Luscious!

Lyle Lovett - Since The Last Time

2007-03-31T00:16:00.000-04:00

Since The Last Time

I went to a funeral
Lord it made me happy
Seeing all those people
I ain't seen
Since the last time
Somebody died

Everybody talking
They were telling funny stories
Saying all those things
They ain't said
Since the last time
Somebody died

But you take a look around you
Don't it seem like something's missing
I said something that weren't missing
Lord the last time
Somebody died

You took him from the last time
To that hallowed ground
I'm praying take me to the next time Lord
So I can hang around

Then the people start to looking
And some of them start crying
And all the little children
Lord they're scared
Because they ain't never seen
A dead man before

You took him from the last time
To that hallowed ground
I'm praying take me to the next time Lord
So I can hang around

He's swimming through that Jordan
Going to the other side
But if it's all the same to you Lord
I think I'll stay dry

Now it's church on Sunday
It's a bar on Friday night
It's work on Monday
The preacher Lord you know he might sing

Hallelujah
Sing hallelujah
Sing hallelujah
Sing hallelujah

He's got church on Sunday
And he got drunk the night before
And he got his good gal when he got home
The preacher said he wants some more of that

Hallelujah
Sing hallelujah
Sing hallelujah
Sing hallelujah

Now if you want to get to heaven
Let me tell you what to do
You better grease your foot up buddy
With that mutton stew
And when the devil comes after you
With them greasy hands
You just slide on over to the promised land

Sing hallelujah
Sing hallelujah
Sing hallelujah
Sing hallelujah

Now there was two little imps
And they was black as tar
And they was trying to get to heaven
In an electric car
And that car wheel slipped
On down the hill
Instead of going to heaven
They went to Jacksonville

Sing hallelujah
Sing hallelujah
Sing hallelujah
Sing hallelujah

Thank you, you've been so nice
All my friends they came
Now close the lid down tightly
And quit crying
Because when they close them
They all look the same

And grab hold of the handle
It won't be too heavy
And take me to the graveyard

I went to a funeral
And Lord it made me happy
Seeing all those people
I ain't seen
Since the last time
Somebody...

William Walton - March "Crown Imperial"

2007-03-25T19:48:00.000-04:00

My musical adventure for today started off with Sir William Walton's Crown Imperial blaring in my speakers in the car this morning. For we orchestral/band-type music geeks, this is just "can't drive slow/roll down the windows and crank it up" kinda music. Composed for the coronation of King Edward VII, it was never used for that purpose, as Edward abdicated the throne and the coronation was held instead for his brother, King George VI. Although originally scored for orchestra, I am quite partial to the standard wind band arrangement by W.J. Duthoit, which really kicks it with trumpets, trombones, and French horns a blaring. It is, no doubt, a long march. However, I plead that you stick with it, as the payoff at the end is tremendous. I remember hearing this played in 1993 at the inauguration of Paul G. Risser as Miami University's twenty-third president. The Miami University Wind Ensemble repeated it for over 20 minutes as the huge procession made its way from Withrow Court to Millett Hall. I bet they were tired.

C'mon. I Dare Ya.

2007-03-23T23:25:00.000-04:00

I dare you to tell me my tastes aren't eclectic. To my face. Or by commenting. Really. I'm a bad*ss of musical eclecticism....or at least a bad*ss of saying "musical eclecticism." A regular musical Renaissance man. A bad*ss muscial Renaissance man (because I can actually spell "Renaissance" without having to look it up).

Anyways, I digress. Check out what I've been listening to lately:

Nice To Know I Have Visitors; John Mellencamp - Freedom's Road

2007-03-23T22:28:00.000-04:00

It's been very nice to know that even during my self-imposed moratorium on posts here at the GMA that some people have still be visiting, some for the first time. I wanted to thank my new friend Wendy from Hollywood who dropped by and thought enough of the page to send me a freebie copy of John Mellencamp's Freedom's Road. I checked out her page and doing publicity for bands and artists is what she does and what she has done for over a decade. It was an incredibly friendly gesture, especially since I don't solicit recordings from labels, artists, or anyone. Anyone who wants to help feed my appetite for music is a friend of mine. Thanks, Wendy!

And as for the Mellencamp? I've really enjoyed what I've heard so far. Having grown up a stone's throw away from Hoosier country, I've always had the taste of folk/country on my musical tongue. His take on the state of affairs here in the USA is a rather gloomy one, addressing the death of small town America (Ghost Towns Along The Highway), the Bush administration (Freedom's Road), or the still-sad state of race relations (Jim Crow). Being the positive soul I am, I'm most drawn to Someday, a catchy pop-country ballad about the hope our brotherhood of man will overcome prejudice, apathy and hatred. Mellencamp's band has never sounded better either, with his fiddle and accordion-laced sound. It's worth a listen, considering Mellencamp himself admits it's the first album he's really tried to make good in over a decade.

Reminder: Song links take you to the iTunes music store where you can listen to 30 second samples of any song. iTunes is required (but free), and you can download it at apple.com. If you're not an iTunes person, I'd also recommend sampling from Amazon.com, but not all Amazon listings have listening samples.

Hi. It's Me. Missed Me? Wonder Where I've Been?

2007-03-23T22:17:00.000-04:00

I have to admit I am quite embarrassed at the fact I haven't posted on the GMA in over two months. Being busy is far from a quality excuse, since I managed to do it in the height of my busy marching band season in the fall. Given that lack of excuse, I want to apologize for the lack of attention I've been giving to my music adventures here on this blog, and promise that I will be posting more frequently. I've listened to a lot of new stuff in the last eight weeks, and had some great experiences that I want to share, so I'm BACK baby! Thanks to all my readers for the patience.

What I'm Listening To: UPDATED

2007-01-26T12:03:00.000-05:00

I've updated "what I'm listening to now" in the sidebar. I'm soaking in the new J.J. Cale and Eric Clapton collaboration, as well as a two-CD collection of the complete recordings of Theolonius Monk and John Coltrane made in 1957 at the Riverside Studio in New York City. Nickel Creek's This Side has made it back to my rotation, and Chris Thile's latest solo album, How To Grow A Woman From The Ground is still going strong after several months. I'm almost ready to talk about The Who's Endless Wire, as well. My words have been coming more easily this past week and I seem to be in the midst of a wellspring of topics to write about.

The Stuff Over There --->

2007-01-25T09:06:00.000-05:00

I've been updating the blogroll on the right side of my site to add feeds of music sites I visit daily. The new Blogger makes it easy to add RSS feeds, so I've taken full advantage. One glance at the right column will show you new articles on the NY Times arts page, DailyTunes, iLounge, and Rolling Stone CD reviews. I'll be adding more in the near future. Just click on the header to go to the full RSS feed, or click on the article title to take you to the article. I hope this is another way to make the Good Music Adventure worth your daily visit.

UPDATE: I've added recommended podcasts to the sidebar as well!

What's Norah Jones Up To?

2007-01-24T22:17:00.000-05:00

It was nice to read in the New York Times what Norah Jones has been up to. I'm looking forward to her next release this January 30. She's been playing around Manhattan in several different bands and staying low key about fame, fortune, and how Grammy smiled on her so many times in the past few years. This article makes me want to hear her new effort even more. Her country album with the Little Willies is one of my favorite albums of the last few years, and is worth a listen, even if you don't think you're the kind of person who might like country music. Give it a try.

My Chris Thile/Edgar Meyer Adventure

2007-01-24T22:02:00.000-05:00

My most recent good music adventure was on Sunday, when I traveled to the Southern Theater in Columbus to see and hear mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile and string bass player/composer extraordinaire Edgar Meyer. I was sitting second row center, so I had a great listening experience, not needing any amplification. It was a fantastic space and place to hear to masters at work. They covered several of Chris's solo works including Raining at Sunset, The Smoothie Song, and Jessamyn's Reel. Meyer's compositions included Please Don't Feed The Bear and Pickles. They also covered several pieces by J.S. Bach, and included six or seven pieces that they had composed together, some of which were still untitled. I'm hoping a live album is in the works, a la Meyer and Bela Fleck's Music for Two. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. May the repertoire list of pieces for mandolin and bass fiddle grow and grow!

Today In Music History

2007-01-19T09:25:00.000-05:00

I recently found a daily podcast on the iTunes music store called Today In Music History. It is a daily 5 minute broadcast featuring important events in the world of rock and popular music, including samples of music of mentioned musicians and songwriters. You can click here to go to the iTunes music store where you can subscribe to the podcast, or just download individual episodes. It's worth 5 minutes of your day.

If you need iTunes, just go here. It's free.

Sean Watkins - Hello...Goodbye

2007-01-18T11:35:00.000-05:00

I stumbled across a wonderful example of high-quality yet concise music this morning on my iPod while driving to work. Sean Watkins pens a perfectly vivid experience of meeting a girl named Kate in his song Hello...Goodbye. Since the song is so brief, so will be this post.

Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor "Moonlight"

2007-01-05T09:55:00.000-05:00

As stormy as his temperament was and as troubled as his personal life tended to be, Ludwig van Beethoven composed tremendously peaceful and cohesive music at times. Written in 1801, his Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor is over 200 years old yet remains one of the most famous and recognizable pieces of classical music to this day. He subtitled it "quasi una fantasia" (like a fantasy) due to its unusual arrangement of movements, the first movement being slow and breaking the traditional fast-slow-fast order of the typical sonata. The alternate title of "moonlight" was given by a music critic who stated that the first movement of the sonata reminded him of the moonlight shining on Lake Lucerne.

This performance by the late Russian-born piano master Vladamir Horowitz, who really puts the fire and passion into the final fast movement - it remains my favorite recording of the piece.

Supernova - Chewbacca

2007-01-04T12:52:00.000-05:00

If have not mentioned it before, I am a big fan of concise music. I believe it often takes even more thought and careful crafting to create a song with meaning that is closer to a minute than to the typical 3-4 minutes of a traditional pop song. Concise lyrics also intrigue me, like Chuck Rio's "Tequila" only having one word is genius. More words would spoil the mood of of the surfing aura, but keeping it an instrumental would diminish it in some strange way as well.

My first "concise gem" is Supernova's Chewbacca. Five words: "Chewie", "Chewbacca", and "What a Wookie!" sum up this brief thrash metal diamond in the rough. If anyone knows of a cover of this song, please let me know. I'm very interested in finding if anyone has a different interpretation!

Just a reminder that all of the songs I recommend link to iTunes or to Amazon, so please click on the song title to hear a 30 second sample!

Top 25 Christmas Carols

2006-12-23T20:53:00.000-05:00

As December 25th draws very near, I thought I would share the top 25 Christmas Carols as listed by the American Society of Composers, Artists, and Publishers (ASCAP). The Christmas Song, by the Velvet Fog - Mel Torme) is number one! There's some interesting trivia in this article as well - like that Sleigh Ride is the only instrumental listed in the top 25, and that composer Johnny Marks has three songs in the top 25 including Rudolph, Holly Jolly Christmas, and Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree. See the entire article here...and have a Merry Christmas!

Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas

2006-12-07T12:47:00.000-05:00

Apparently many people have taken a liking to this album as their favorite sound of Christmas like I have. This album containing music arranged, composed, and performed for the TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas, was released in 1965. As of this writing, it is currently number ten on iTunes top albums! Good music stands the test of time, and since this collection of music by Vince Guaraldi has been around for nearly forty years, I'd say it's a keeper.

The most recognizable tune of Charlie Brown music is actually titled "Linus and Lucy" and features Guarladi's unique chords and jazz piano style that influenced many jazz keyboardists, including my personal favorite, George Winston. Guaraldi's renditions of "The Christmas Song," "Greensleeves", and "Hark the Herald Angels" perfectly capture the picture of Christmas a la Americana. His original tune, "Christmas Time Is Here" is now a jazz standard and evokes many memories of my childhood when my family and I settled around the television every December to watch the Charlie Brown Christmas special back in the days before VCR's and DVR's.

Cake - Mahna Mahna

2006-12-04T22:01:00.000-05:00

So, I like Cake...the band (and the food, of course) because they're unconventional. Although most of their recent work has not matched up to material on Nugget and Comfort Eagle, this cover of the Muppets' Mahna Mahna is wonderful. Not only does it feature the inclusion of Vince DiFiore's trumpet, which I feel is what seperates Cake from the rest of the early late 90's post grunge crap, but reduces the stunning sycopation of Jon McCrea's usually stunning lyrics to two words: Mahna Mahna!

If you click on the pic, it will take you to the YouTube video of the original Muppets sketch...an all time classic.

Arlo Guthrie - Alice's Restaurant

2006-11-21T22:08:00.000-05:00

Well, it all started two Thanksgivings ago...that is...two years ago on Thanksgiving. The song sounds simple enough:

You can get anything you want
at Alice's Restaurant.
Walk right in it's around the back,
just a half a mile from the railroad track.
You can get anything you want
at Alice's Restaurant.

The 18 mintues of prose Arlo Guthrie weaves around his simple song is comic genius, social commentary, and sometimes just plain silly. The Alice's Restaurant Massacre (prounounced Mass-a-cree) is a Thanksgiving tradition in my house. At one point in time I had the entire thing memorized, and many of the catchphrases come in handy, like the "twenty seven eight by ten color glossy photographs with pictures and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each one was to be used as evidence against us." You'll find yourself singing along...with four part harmony...and feeling.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Aaron Copland - Fanfare for the Common Man

2006-11-16T12:50:00.000-05:00

Fanfare for the Common Man was commissioned by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in 1942 as one of eighteen fanfares written to open each of the group's concerts in the 1942-42 season. Rather than glorify the war or pay tribute to troops or officers, Aaron Copland chose to honor the common man. Also fitting is that the piece premiered on April 12...just before Tax Day!

Scored for three trumpets, four horns, two trombones, tuba, bass drum, timpani, and tam-tam, it develops the theme composed of Copland-esque open fourths and fifths, building to a climax that only brass and percussion could achieve. Fanfare is one of our best-know pieces of American classical music.

Speak of the Devil...

2006-11-13T17:05:00.000-05:00

I was just lamenting the absence of The Beatles' catalog in the digital domain a few posts ago, and now this good news: looks like "Love Me Do" and "Yesterday" may be read for release soon! Read more in this iLounge article.

Avenue Q - I'm Not Wearing Underwear Today

2006-11-10T12:57:00.000-05:00

It's Friday and I'm in a happy silly mood, so I have chosen a concise (:28) whimsical song from a musical I hope to see someday. Avenue Q is kinda hard to describe. If you ask yourself "What might Sesame Street puppeteers come up with if their show was on SPIKE instead PBS", then you might be on the right track. You can read all about the Tony Award-winning musical by going to their official site, and you can listen to I'm Not Wearing Underwear Today at the iTunes Music Store. Have a great weekend!

The Beatles - Yesterday

2006-11-09T16:19:00.000-05:00

I don't know what's more depressing: the sad lyrics of Paul McCartney's masterpiece, "Yesterday," or the fact that the music of the Beatles is not available online for preview or purchase. It's been in the rumor mill recently that the folks at Apple Corps are working on new digital masters of the entire Beatles catalog, and will release them for re-issue and digital download when they are finished. I have been using Yesterday as a listening example in my general music class and I have come away with the feeling that the younger generation are not being exposed to the Beatles like they should due to the lack of online resources. I couldn't even find a 30 second sample on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or any other source of the Beatles compact discs.

Anyways, Yesterday is not only the most covered song of all time, it is a two-minute masterpiece. The simple chord structure, the rondo form, and the simple yet emotive lyrics make it a best-in-show of songwriting. I remember reading that McCartney woke up in the middle of the night with the melody for the song in his head and plunked it out on the piano before going back to sleep...writing the lyrics over a month later. It was George Martin's record producing expertise that led to the inclusion of the string quartet into the texture. If you don't know this song, you should. Unfortunately, you'll have to borrow it from a friend or buy the CD to get a chance to listen to it.

I should also thank my friend Dug for spoiling this song for the rest of my life with the alternate lyrics - "Leprosy. I'm not half the man I used to be..."

What I've Been Doing...(and listening to)

2006-11-08T13:05:00.000-05:00

I've been soaking in quite a few new things in the past week, so I've been listening and not writing. On a reccommendation from my good friend David, I've been experiencing Sufjan Stevens's Illinoise, and although his titles are long and it may takes weeks or months to glean any meaning from the lyrics, I still have found the journey quite enjoyable. The best description I can come up with so far for Stevens's unique sound is James Taylor meets Rufus Wainwright cross pollinated with the Polyphonic Spree. I caught Sufjan and his band on Austin City Limits last week and it was quite a visual feast as well as musical. I don't think I've ever seen an entire band with angel wings attached to their "uniforms" before. I still don't quite know what to think of that.

As far as familiar music, I've been listening to Jimmy Buffett's latest, Take The Weather With You, which, thankfully, has mostly departed from his country flavor of his last effort, License to Chill. The steel drums have returned, as have the Coral Reefer horn section on a few tunes. It's a very mixed bag, as Buffett co-penned only a handful of songs on this disc, and uses songs by several different songwriters. I'll let you know when I've got a favorite.

Lastly, I'm going against my better judgment and listening to Nellie McKay's (pronounced Mahk-eye) newest effort, Pretty Little Head. I was told she sounds like Tori Amos with a sense of humor, but I haven't heard enough to agree or disagree yet.

I'll try to get back to an "oldie but goodie" post tonight.

Tan Dun - Ghost Opera

2006-10-27T16:10:00.000-04:00

More creepy music today!

Tan Dun is an Oscar Award-winning composer, best known for his 2000 score to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. This rise to prominence brought forth a commission from the avant-garde string quartet, the Kronos Quartet, for a piece based on the Chinese legend of the Ghost Opera. Composed for string quartet with pipa, water, stones, paper and metal, it is a haunting piece with eerie sounds and extremely atmospheric tones.

The composer calls it "a dialogue between past and future, spirit and nature," based on the shamanistic customs of Chinese peasant culture.

"Ghost Opera" begins and ends in darkness, with musicians splashing phosphorescent bowls of water. Gongs are bowed and stones are smacked together; fragments from Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier" commingle with Chinese folk music and give way to raucous hoedowns. One at a time, performers are reduced to ghostly shadows behind a white sash; chants and exhalations alternate with snippets of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" and silence, conducted by one of the musicians. The whole piece is artfully lit and choreographed.
(from: http://www.mondo-marion.com/ghost.html)

If you really want to be creeped out this weekend, put this on the stereo and turn out all the lights. Even scarier if you're alone. And never, ever say "I'll be right back!"

Dannny Elfman - This Is Halloween

2006-10-26T22:07:00.000-04:00

Sorry I've been off for over a week. My big transition from marching band to concert band is almost complete. Good to be back to the GMA!

With Halloween just around the corner, I'll be dealing with creepy music of one sort or another for the next few days. Danny Elfman, himself, is slightly creepy. He took a strange path to the role of film composer, beginning as the songwriter and vocalist for the '80's band Oingo Boingo. Not only did Oingo Boingo play the theme song to "Weird Science", bu were also the house band in Rodney Dangerfield's Back To School. The first score of Elfman's I became familiar with was Batman, but Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas is one of his most memorable efforts.

This is Halloween is a song for the entire ensemble that commences the film. It introduces all of the characters, and also sets the mood for the strange juxtaposition of Halloween vs. Christmas. The harmonies are very progessive, and melodies shift key in mid-phrase, keeping the listener off balance through the entire song. Another tidbit of trivia is that although Elfman does not do the speaking voice of Jack Skellington in the movie, he is the singing voice of Jack in all his songs. He does a fabulous job with his feature song, What's This?

Only 5 more days to Halloween! (everybody SCREAM!)

J.S. Bach - Two Part Invention No. 13 (BWV 784)

2006-10-13T13:12:00.000-04:00

Trying to find music for Friday the 13th is quite challenging. It's not a topic that is easily addressed. Rather than succumb to campy Halloween tunes, I've decided to offer something more uplifting.

Johann Sebastian Bach's music is unarguably the best of the baroque era. It was complex and inventive at times, as well as tender and touching. He was a master of polyphony, and his two and three-part inventions are a staple of piano instruction at the secondary and university level. This treatment of his Two-Part Invention No. 13 (BWV 784), performed by banjoist Bela Fleck and (deaf) percussionist Evelyn Glennie, is sublime. The colors of the banjo and the marimba really show the unique qualities of the interwoven parts and delicacy with which Bach treats the melodies. Two-part Invention No. 13, I hope, is a lucky one. Have a great weekend!

Hector Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique, Mvt. IV "March to the Scaffold"

2006-10-12T13:13:00.000-04:00

I just recently used this movement of Hector Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique in my general music class, and since Halloween is coming up and the macabre is generally acceptable, I thought it would be a good time to introduce it to you as well. Berlioz's masterpiece is his only symphony, consisting of five movements and one very STRANGE program.

The programmatic piece follows a story that goes something like this: A young man is smitten with a beautiful young woman, his "beloved" who scorns him. In a fit of depression, he takes a lethal amount of opium, but only comatizes himself. While in this coma he has strange dreams, all based around his "beloved." Some are joyous and pleasant, yet others are dark and sinister. Movement IV "March To the Scaffold" would be one of the latter. He dreams he has killed his beloved and has been sentenced to hang. He marches out of the prison to the center of town and ascends the scaffold...the platform where he will be hanged. As the put the noose around his neck, he thinks fonldy of his beloved, just as the trapdoor drops out from underneath him. The crowd cheers in approval with a big "tah-dah!" ending.

You can buy this track alacarte from the iTunes store, but I would recommend the entire piece if you can afford the whole ablbum.

What I'm Listening To: UPDATED

2006-10-11T12:10:00.000-04:00

Check out what I've been listening to lately!

Gioacchino Rossini - William Tell Overture

2006-10-11T11:31:00.000-04:00

The movie Brassed Off is nothing spectacular. Unless you're a poor-unemployed-blue-collar British person, a band geek (like me...not that there's anything wrong with that), or hot for Ewan McGregor, it's not really enough to hold your your interest. If you are one of the afforementioned categories of people, it's worth taking a look. It's the story of a municipal brass band that overcomes budget woes, apathy, and an overbearing conductor to win a brass band contest and perform in the Royal Albert Hall.

One of the pivotal pieces in the film is Rossini's Overture to William Tell. This is a classic orchestral transcription that has been in the band repertoire for over a hundred years. An exciting piece for string orchestra in its own right, the acrobatics that brass players must perform make the wind version even more exciting! Some other pieces on the album that are worth a listen are the Fucik's Florentiner March, Danny Boy, and Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March.

Alexa Ray Joel - Sketches

2006-10-09T13:04:00.000-04:00

I don't often recommend something hot off the presses, but I've been very excited for the past twenty-four hours after finding out that Alexa Ray Joel has finally commenced her professional music career. I don't know if you know who she is, but you will very soon. Her father is the "Piano Man", Billy Joel, and her mother is supermodel Christie Brinkley. The sad yet telling thing (about my age) is that I remember when she was born in the mid-80's. I had heard for years that she was making music, but was waiting for her formal university training was over to embark on a career in the music business.

Her debut EP, Sketches, shows her to have a very high and seemingly fragile voice, yet she belt out some serious blues and R&B licks. When she does get down in her low register, the hairs stand up on my arms...goose bumps! The production of the EP is perfect for a debut as well...no overdubs or backing vocals, simple accompaniments that show off her talent as s singer, pianist, and songwriter. I like all six tracks on the album. Which one is your favorite?

Rogers & Hammerstein - You'll Never Walk Alone (Bernadette Peters)

2006-10-06T09:26:00.000-04:00

Bernadette Peters is a such a phenomenal asset to Broadway. She's been in over 16 productions in her career and has such a beautiful voice and dramatic interpretation of the classics of the stage. I, however, will always remember her as Marie from the movie "The Jerk" with Steve Martin. (She plays a mean cornet!)

The music to Rogers and Hammerstein's You'll Never Walk Alone is inspirational enough, but the lyrics complete the package in this moving number from the musical Carousel. This was the warm up chorale for my marching band when I was in high school at National Trail, and has always held a special place in my heart. The lyrics to the chorus have been posted on my clasroom door for over 13 years.

Walk on
with hope in your heart and
You'll never walk alone.

Blues Traveller - Hook

2006-10-04T12:50:00.000-04:00

John Popper is the current master of the blues harmonica, and the entire Blues Traveller group was just top-notch. It was such a shame that basssist Bobby Sheehan overdosed on drugs in 1999...the band has never quite recovered emotionally or musically. John Popper released a solo record this week, titled The John Popper Project, which I have not yet bought, but will soon. It pairs the harmonica god with DJ Logic and takes his earlier solo work to the next level, from what I hear. I'll get back to you.

Hook is just an amazing song. This is a song that is so ironic it makes fun of itself, and still really says nothing at all, yet so well-written that it somehow makes sense. The profound truth is: the hook always brings you back. The vocal harmonies are very tight, and Popper gets to show off his harp chops after every chorus.

It doesn't matter what I say
So long as I sing with inflection
That makes you feel I'll convey
Some inner truth or vast reflection
But I've said nothing so far
And I can keep it up for as long as it takes
And it don't matter who you are
If I'm doing my job then it's your resolve that breaks

Because the hook brings you back
I ain't tellin' you no lie
The hook brings you back
On that you can rely.

What I'm Listening To Now:

2006-10-03T21:40:00.000-04:00

I've been soaking even more new music. Check out what I've been listening to lately.

Where I've Been...

2006-10-03T13:04:00.001-04:00

No. I'm not dead. Well...not yet anyways. I just hit the CRAZY part of my season where every waking hour is pretty much devoted to my marching band. I'll be putting up a few posts this week on the good music adventure. In the meantime, notice that I've upgraded my blog to the new Blogger beta, so I can categorize my posts with labels. Check the right hand column so you can search for music by genre!

In the meantime, if you're curious what I've been up to, you can visit Fairbanksband.org, Mr. Keller's blog, or my Fairbanksband Flickr page.

Elvis Presley - Are You Lonseome Tonight?

2006-09-21T13:12:00.000-04:00

Are You Lonesome Tonight? came up on shuffle as I was coming to work this morning, and it has been a long time since I had heard Elvis's voice. I must admit I'm mostly biased against The King because it was mostly what my mother and grandmother listened to when I was growing up, but this song struck me in an emotional kind of way this A.M. The accompaniment is simple, and the melody is just as far from complex, but easy swing of the slow 3/4 time is almost a reminder of Stephen Foster and days gone by. The spoken dialogue in the middle of this song breaks my heart every time I hear it. Long live The King!

I wonder if youre lonesome tonight
You know someone said that the worlds a stage
And each must play a part.
Fate had me playing in love you as my sweet heart.
Act one was when we met,
I loved you at first glance
You read your line so cleverly and never missed a cue
Then came act two, you seemed to change and you acted strange
And why Ill never know.
Honey, you lied when you said you loved me
And I had no cause to doubt you.
But Id rather go on hearing your lies
Than go on living without you.
Now the stage is bare and I'm standing there
With emptiness all around
And if you wont come back to me
Then make them bring the curtain down.

John Mellencamp - Small Town

2006-09-12T13:06:00.000-04:00

I happened to catch some of John Mellencamp's performance on the HD broadcast of FarmAid 2006 the other night, and I'm just amazed at what a great live show he puts on. John has spent his entire career fighting the "hit factory" system and making music that is true to his roots and true to himself. I think he's probably the best export ever to come from the Hoosier state.

Small Town tells several stories of life in rural midwestern towns. John's band has its own color as well, with not only guitar and drums, but even the occasional accordion and fiddle.

What I'm Listening To: UPDATED

2006-09-07T13:16:00.000-04:00

Please check out my "What I'm Listening To" column on the right side of the page. I'm soaking in some new stuff.

I'm looking forward to some new releases in the upcoming weeks. I've already mentioned Chris Thile's solo effort coming out on September 12. Also on the horizon is Diana Krall's latest, which I hear is going to feature some big band numbers, as well as some more original songs penned by herself and her husband, Elvis Costello. I just read today that the Costellos will be expecting twins in a few months....very musically talented twins, I would suspect. I also see that Detroit rocker Bob Seeger will be putting out his first album of new material very shortly as well. I'll let you know if they're all worth listening to in a few weeks.

Finally...PLEASE share my URL with anyone you think might be interested in the GMA. My readership is down after the summer and I'd very much like to reach as many people as possible. Spread the word! http://goodmusicadventure.blogspot.com

Harry Connick, Jr. - Nowhere With Love

2006-09-06T07:50:00.000-04:00

Harry Connick, Jr. burst onto the scene in 1989 when he was tapped to score and supervise the music for the iconic "When Harry Met Sally". The soundtrack was one of the biggest selling albums of the year, which was amazing since jazz piano/big band vocal music was nowhere near what one would call popular in the late '80's. His treatment of Sinatra standards like "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" marked him as the heir apparent to the throne of debonair crooner. He's certainly kept up his end of the deal, with many vocal albums sandwiched between his diversions like "Lofty's Roach Souffle" and "Star Turtle."

Come By Me is one of my favotire Connick Albums, featuring show tunes like "There's No Business Like Show Business" as well as "Danny Boy" and "Cry Me A River." Nowhere With Love came up on shuffle on my iPod this morning and I was reminded of the message it provides:

It's better to be happy in a cardboard shack
than to be alone in a castle.
All you get for your money is a heart attack.
I'd just assume alleviate the hassle.

The big band treatment is very reminiscent of his Harry and Sally days. It always brightens my day when I'm reminded that money can't buy happines. Schoolteachers are usually like that. I'd rather be going nowhere...with love.

The Roots - Essaywhyman !!!!! (Organix Version)

2006-09-03T17:09:00.000-04:00

I'm very excited that the new release by The Roots, Game Theory, is out and available for your consumption. I'm just now getting started soaking it in and I'm sure I'll get back to you shortly with something great and new.

I just finished reading a GQ article that included a brief history of The Roots and an interview with Amhir "?uestlove" Thompson, drummer, producer, and all-around Guru for the Philadelphia avant-garde rap band. It puts some insight into their place in the history of hip-hop so far, and goes as far as to sutititle them the "Grateful Dead" of hip-hop. I'm not sure I completely agree with the comparison, but you can judge for yourself.

Essaywhyman !!!!!, which is an alternate take on Homegrown! The Beginner's Guide to Understanding The Roots, sounds like a bunch of sound check fun to me. The dialouge between Black Thought and the instrumentalists is the good stuff that jazz is made of, and is a technique employed by even Miles, Dizzy, and Coltrane. Don't look too deeply on this track...it's just plain fun! If you happen to know what the title means, please let me know. Is it "I Say What Man", "Easy Woman", "I Say Woman"? I'm confused, yet still entertained.

Chris Thile - Raining At Sunset

2006-09-01T13:02:00.000-04:00

It is becoming quite clear to me that it is getting much more difficult to make "random" recommendation on the GMA. It's becoming a little bit of coincidence and a lot of stream-of-conciousness when it comes to "what am I going to write about next." Today is a good example.

In case you didn't know, I'm a high school band director. Tonight is our first home game, which all of my students are excited about as well. The bad news is that the remnants of tropical storm Ernesto will be passing over Ohio tonight while the Panthers are on the gridiron. That means lots of mud, cold, wet kids, malfunctioning instruments, and general misery. That reminds me that it's probably going to be raining at sunset.

I told you about how broken up I've been about Nickel Creek's demise, but I'm very exicted for the future solo careers of the awsome threesome. Chris Thile is an extremely gifted and hardworking mandolinist...the preeminent player in the world. His next solo album drops in just a week and a half. His 2001 offering, All Who Wander Are Not Lost, was his last album of purely instrumental music. Raining At Sunset is a beautiful piece Chris composed and then performed with some of his incredibly talented friends, including Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer, and Jerry Douglass. I offer it to you, in hopes that it doesn't actually rain on my band tonight.

Nickel Creek - Tomorrow Is A Long Time

2006-08-30T21:56:00.000-04:00

I try to spread things around and not repeat artists very frequently. I like to keep things fresh and rotate songs, styles, and moods. Today I need to make an exception, however.

I've never really had a favorite band before, so this is my first "favorite band breaking up" story to share with you. I woke up Tuesday morning to the following email from Nickel Creek:

8.27.06
Message from the Band
Dearest Listener,
After seven years of extensive touring in support of three records (seventeen years as a band), we've decided to take a break of indefinite length at the end of 2007 to preserve the environment we've sought so hard to create and to pursue other interests. It has been a pleasure to write, record, and perform for you through the years and we'd like to heartily thank you for your invaluable contribution to our musical lives.
Yours,
Nickel Creek (Sean, Sara, and Chris)

I guess the good news is I have another 15 months to enjoy any new music they might release and perhaps catch them in concert one last time. (I've already seen them three times) In sad rememberance of this day, I offer you NC's cover of Bob Dylan's Tomorrow Is A Long Time, a beautiful treatment sung by Sara, off of their most recent release Why Should The Fire Die. It is a beautiful love song penned by Dylan in 1963. (lyrics below)

I will miss their music together, but look forward to their upcoming solo projects, inlcuding Chris Thile's How To Grow A Woman From The Ground, and a much-anticipated solo album by Sara Watkins. Thanks, Nickel Creek, for six great years of your music in my life.

If today was not an endless highway,
If tonight was not a crooked trail,
If tomorrow wasn't such a long time,
Then lonesome would mean nothing to you at all.
Yes, and only if my own true love was waitin',
Yes, and if I could hear her heart a-softly poundin',
Only if she was lyin' by me,
Then I'd lie in my bed once again.

I can't see my reflection in the waters,
I can't speak the sounds that show no pain,
I can't hear the echo of my footsteps,
Or can't remember the sound of my own name.
Yes, and only if my own true love was waitin',
Yes, and if I could hear her heart a-softly poundin',
Only if she was lyin' by me,
Then I'd lie in my bed once again.

There's beauty in the silver, singin' river,
There's beauty in the sunrise in the sky,
But none of these and nothing else can touch the beauty
That I remember in my true love's eyes.
Yes, and only if my own true love was waitin',
Yes, and if I could hear her heart a-softly poundin',
Only if she was lyin' by me,
Then I'd lie in my bed once again.

John Adams - Christian Zeal and Activity

2006-08-28T22:08:00.000-04:00

Today's pick is one of my all-time favorites of the orchestral genre. John Adams is a contemorary American composer, best known for his fusion of minimalism and neoclassicism. His use of driving rhythms and colorful use of the orchestral timbres have earned him a place as one of the most admired and performed composers of the last twenty years. One of his most recent pieces, On The Transmigration Of Souls, commissioned by the New York Philharmonic to comemmorate the victims of the 9/11 tragedy, won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize.

Christian Zeal and Activity is from Adams's early period of composition, from the mid 1970's. It is constructed of a simple chorale-like chordal structure played by strings and a sparse woodwind section. A series of suspensions delays resolution of the harmonies until the very end of the piece, with only a few authentic cadences throughout the piece. The unique aleatoric element of Zeal is what really makes the piece special. The conductor is directed to place "sonic found objects" into the composition. Edo De Waart, conductor of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra spliced and looped a recording of a 1971 sermon into the piece, using an archaic DJ effect to draw even more emotion from the pastor's words and from the music itself. At just over 10 mintues in length, listening to the piece takes patience, but I promise it is worth your time and concentration.

You can't buy just this track from iTunes...it's "album only", but the rest of the album The Chairman Dances, is just as fantastic. It's worth the $9.99 in my opinion, as you also get Short Ride In A Fast Machine, another fantastic piece which I will surely tell you more about on another day of the GMA.

Sting - Love Is Stronger Than Justice

2006-08-23T21:51:00.000-04:00

Sting's Ten Summoner's Tales is an all-time favorite of mine. Each of the songs tells a very different story about things such as love, rain, rejection, and even Saint Augustine going to hell. There's many questions about the title of the album, from the resemblance of "Summoner" to Sting's surname of "Sumner." There's also the obvious reference to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, one of which was the Summoner's Tale.

My favorite song on the albums, however, is Love Is Stronger Than Justice. This tale of the old west is just like it came from an old-time cowboy movie...a strange spin on Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, if you will. It features the typical mixed meter that Sting is famous for, most of the song being in 7/4 time. The twangy guitar was very shocking for a pop/rock record at the time. There really wasn't much of a crossover back in '93. I remember Sting and his band playing this tune on Saturday Night Live dressed in cowboy boots and straw cowboy hats. It was an odd sight, but they somehow he pulled it off with style.

The Doors - Riders On The Storm

2006-08-21T21:35:00.000-04:00

Riders On The Storm by The Doors came up on shuffle the other night...it has been a long time since I've heard it, so got a little sentimental. My memory of this song is of college Spring break in Florida. I was driving back from Disneyworld to Coco Beach with some friends at night. It was a humid Florida night and we had the windows down. We were all tired and there wasn't much talking. The Best Of The Doors was in the CD player and I swear no one spoke a word while this song was playing...we were just living in the moment and letting the wind blow through our hair.

This was the last song Jim Morrison recorded with The Doors before his untimely death in 1971. Apparently I'm not the only one that gest "Riders" with "Ghost Riders In The Sky", an old country/western tune. "Riders" was born in the recording studio when the band had a late night jam session which started with "Ghost Riders." The creepy effects of falling rain and Morrison whispering the lyrics over the singing are an ultimate example of how music is just as much about the mood it sets as it is the notes, rhythms, harmonies, and words. Morrison's terrifying lyrics were taken from a screenplay he wrote about a mass-murdering hitchiker.

Pat Metheny - Don't Know Why

2006-08-20T22:13:00.000-04:00

I've given you some pretty heavy stuff recently so it is definitely time to chill out a little bit. My introduction to jazz guitarist Pat Metheny was on a completely different vein from the one I'm recommending now. My friend Ben (not me) introduced me to Forward March, a horrible yet beautiful pun on the traditional march, complete with sqeaking clarinets and trumpets cracking notes. After this strange beginning, I found out about many different influcences from Brazillian rhythms to his hip-hop drum loops. His take on Norah Jones's Don't Know Why is simply beautiful and graceful. A very simple treatment of a well written song. This is on my "sleepy time" mix, as well as my "music to study by" mix.

What I'm Listening to Now: UPDATED!

2006-08-19T21:40:00.000-04:00

Check out the right column for "What I'm Listening To Now." I have updated my list. Links go to the artist's official site whenever possible. What are YOU listening to now that you think I should investigate?

Isaac Hayes - Theme from "Shaft"

2006-08-17T22:12:00.000-04:00

I didn't appreciate what a finely crafted piece of movie music this was until after the 1971 movie was remade in 2000 with Samuel L. Jackson playing the "black private dick who's a hit with all the chicks" (NOTE: For you younger folks who may not be hip to 70's ancient terminology, "private dick" is slang for a "private detective". Really). Theme From "Shaft" was composed and performed by Isaac Hayes, who in his career before voicing Chef on South Park, was (and still is) a consummate musician, being inducted into both the Songwriters' Hall Of Fame and the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. The scratch guitar of the introduction and the generous arrangement of strings became Hayes's trademark in his successful songwriting and film composing career. What a tremendous song. Can you dig it?

The Mars Volta - L`Via L`Viaquez

2006-08-14T21:13:00.000-04:00

My friend Norm turned me on to The Mars Volta with his 2005 mix of favorites. They are known for their hard rocking guitar riffs, cryptic lyrics, atmospheric effects, and tremendous live performances. L'Via L'Viaquez mixes English and Spanish and clocks in at over 12 mintues in length. One song off of Frances the Mute is over half an hour long. The Mars Volta really show no boundaries in their musical experimentation. I love the contrast of the hard-rocking verses in L'Via with the latin-flavored choruses. If you don't have the attention span for the long version, there is a 4:30 radio edit available here, especially since the full version is only available if you buy the whole album (which is a ripoff if you ask me...and don't even get me started on DRM. That's another post entirely!)

David Byrne - Un Di Felice, Eterea (Verdi)

2006-08-14T21:08:00.000-04:00

For the most part, opera is not a part of my regular listening regimen. On the whole, opera is too long, too confusing, the stories are dated, and language barrier is too great for me to surpass. I feel this is probably the reason that most Americans subscribe to the "opera-phobia" that I suffer from as well. Now don't get me wrong...opera in small chunks - small chunks of sublime music are extremly satisfying and rewarding. Reading a translation for one song is not a chore for me. Translating an entire opera is.

I try to learn an aria in another language from time to time. My first was "La Donna e Mobile" from Rigoletto. My new venture is Un Di Felice Eterea from Verdi's La Traviata. I became interested when I stumbled across David Byrne's rendition of the piece on his Grown Backwards album...his latest release. Now, Byrne is no opera singer, nor has he ever claimed to be, and I think this lends an authentic feel to this lovely song. His interpretation is straight forward, a little rough around the edges, yet very passionate. I caught myself really wanting to sing along. So I did.

The lyrics and their English translation are below.

Un di, felice, eterea,
Mi balenaste innante,
E da quel di tremante
Vissi d'ignoto amor.
Di quell'amor ch'e palpito
Dell'universo, Dell'universo intero,
Misterioso, Misterioso altero,
Croce e, Croce e delizia
Croce e delizia, delizia al cor.
Misterioso, Misterioso altero,
Croce e delizia al cor.
Croce e delizia al cor.
Delizia, delizia al cor.
Delizia, delizia al cor.
Croce e delizia, delizia al cor
Croce e delizia al cor.

One day, you, happy, ethereal,
appeared in front of me,
and ever since,trembling,
I lived from unknowed love.
That love that's the
pulse of the universe, of the whole universe,
Mysterious, mysterious and proud,
torture and delight to the heart.

Help! Please?!

2006-08-12T14:10:00.000-04:00

I'm eating lunch in the restaurant that I feel has the best taste in music of all time: Boston Market, when the eclectic blend throws me a curve ball. Suddenly, I hear what can best be described as Simon and Garfunkel heading to Texas, playing with Lyle Lovett and his large band, and covering The Who's Baba O'Reily (also known to you younger folks as the theme to CSI: NY). Anyone have ANY idea who is doing this cover of this great song? I can't find anything on iTunes. Please let me know if you've heard the tune I'm talking about.

Richard Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries

2006-08-10T22:57:00.000-04:00

It's great that most of my students no longer associate this wonderful work of instrumental opera music with Bugs Bunny's "Kill da wabbit". I have to admit that much of my early exposure to the fine art of opera was from Bugs cartoons. The Rabbit of Seville was my particular favorite.

The image of large women with horned helmets riding winged horses may be a troubling thought for many of you (or a strange fantasy for others), but that's what Richard Wagner was attempting to depict in his Ride of the Valkyries. From its use in movies (like the Blues Brothers), it has reached the pinnacle of public knowledge for an orchestral piece.

I have heard this piece performed live several times, once outdoors with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra, and even got to discuss it with the musicians. It is definitely a favorite of the trombone section...the DEFINITELY get to blow on this one!

Chris Isaak - Wicked Game

2006-08-08T23:37:00.000-04:00

Music that accomplishes the task of setting a unique mood or atmosphere is not only important, but also difficult to come by. Chris Isaak will be remembered long after his heyday has passed because of his all-time greatest hit Wicked Game. Even without the video, which was voted at one point in time as the sexiest video of all time, it sets an aura of a steamy night, a broken heart, and lots of yearning....heavy on the yearning.

Yes. It's hard to believe. I'm BACK!

2006-08-08T23:32:00.000-04:00

Sorry it's been so long. I've been a full time band director for the past two weeks and a complete loser of a blogger. If you've been checking my band-related blog at Mr. Keller's Blog, you know what I've been up to. Daily posts start again TODAY. Thanks for sticking with me, readers of the GMA.

Bear With Me...

2006-07-20T14:28:00.000-04:00

I'm back at work as the band director of the Fairbanks Marching Band and I've been quite busy this week getting things in order for our competition show and for our upcoming band camp. I'll try and be back with a new recommendation as soon as I can...maybe even over the weekend. Thanks for sticking with me and the Good Music Adventure!

What does the picture have to do with this, you ask? I ran a Google image search for "hard work" and this was my favorite picture from the batch!

Gustav Holst - The Planets

2006-07-17T23:24:00.000-04:00

It's difficult to pick my favorite movement of Gustav Holst's The Planets, so I'm going to go ahead and link the entire piece for you. Holst holds a strange spot in the history of music. He is really only known for two orchestral pieces. A mostly self-taught composer, he had great success with The Planets and Kindertotenlieder (songs on the deaths of children), but the rest of his orchestral output is small and wallows in obscurity. Perhaps Holst's greatest known accomplishment is composing a piece that changed the importance of the military band forever. His First Suite in E-flat is considered a masterpiece of wind literature and changed the way the world viewed the wind band.

Anyways, I'm letting my band director colors show...back to the topic at hand: The Planets is possibly the most reconizable of all character pieces for orchestra. Holst wrote seven movements, one for each of the known planets except Earth. His titles are from astrology and Roman mythology, and not necessarily astronomy, and are ordered by their distance from the earth.

Mars, the Bringer of War
Venus, the Bringer of Peace
Mercury, the Winged Messenger
Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity
Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age
Uranus, the Magician
Neptune, the Mystic

Like I said before, I can't really pick ONE favorite. Jupiter is the most dynamic with fast tempos, grandiose melodies in the brasses and flurrying strings, climaxing in a brass fanfare that gives me goose bumps. Mars is in 5/4 time and is a violent hammering of strings and brass. Holst liked it loud. Neptune the Mystic uses an offstage chorus and ends quielty and serenely. I promise it will be worth the hour of your time to lock the door, turn down the lights, and turn up the volume on The Planets.

Everything But The Girl - Missing

2006-07-13T16:24:00.000-04:00

Missing fills a strange place in music history. It is a dance track from a traditionally acoustic group - Everything But The Girl. The British duo of Tracy Thorn and Ben Watt wallowed in obscurity until this track from their 1994 album Amplified Heart was remixed by Todd Terry and was released as a single. Missing became a wordwide hit of "acoustic techno." The best description of the lyrics of this song, and the entire album, is self-pity set to music. As you might already know, I'm not so much a lyrics person so much as I am a groove and mood person. This song satisfies my standards for the movability quotient, although I won't acually dance to it. I don't dance, and I don't think you'd want me to. I dance like the gopher on Caddyshack with a little bit of Billy Crystal's white man's overbite.

What I'm Listening To - UPDATED!

2006-07-12T15:07:00.000-04:00

I've updated my "What I'm Listening To" column on the right side of my blog. I've been soaking in some new stuff, as well as visiting some old favorites in anticipation of new releases by some of my favorite artists. Check out the entire list below. What are you listening to now?

Tom Petty - You Don't Know How It Feels

2006-07-11T21:17:00.000-04:00

I just finished reading an article in the most recent Rolling Stone Magazine about Tom Petty. It is looking like he's heading out on his last tour this fall. It's a shame, but when you realize that he's been touring and in the music business for over thirty years. Speaking of being out on the road, that reminds me of Petty's You don't Know How It Feels from his Wildflowers alubm. It came out in 1994, but it was THE cd that was in my car for the summer of '95. I remember driving at night, windows down, and the cool summer evening air blowing in...this was the tune that was cranking on the stereo. (Hard to believe there was life before my iPod!) The "We Will Rock You" beat and the honky-tonk sound of Petty playing the harmonica make this song stand out in his repertoire, and especially on this album.

Junior Brown - I Hung It Up

2006-07-10T10:53:00.000-04:00

Junior Brown is like one of those movies that you can't tell what time and place the setting its. What decade? Where are we? What's going on? He dresses like he's in a 50's cowboy band, but he plays a double guitar ("Guit-steel" as he calls it), and has a twangy style, but will break out into a Jimi Hendrix solo right in the middle of a song. It it obvious that his influences are wide-ranging and that his style is eclectic. He's just so damn likeable. His wife is even in his band. If you haven't heard of Junior Brown yet, you will soon. He's been off the radar for a few years, but he's opening for Bob Dylan on his fall tour.

I Hung It Up is a blazing fast country swing that really shows off his counrty sensibility as well as his virtuosic guitar work. Check listen to a sample on iTunes HERE.

Buddy Holly - Peggy Sue

2006-07-08T00:27:00.000-04:00

I've really developed an appreciation for the early days of Rock and Roll through teaching my general music classes over the years. Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Elvis are just a few of the puzzle pieces I'll get into in later posts. Today, I'll dwell on Buddy Holly and one of his biggest hits, Peggy Sue. He had a unique sound, fresh songwriting style, and those COOL glasses! So cool that artists today are still trying to steal the Buddy Holly signature look. The pounding tom-tom sound foreshadowed Wipeout by five years or so! It was a shame that Buddy Holly left us on the Day The Music Died when he was in a plane crash with Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper on February 3, 1959.

Jimmy Buffett - The Night I Painted The Sky

2006-07-04T23:23:00.000-04:00

I've been a parrothead since college. Jimmy Buffett's music takes me to a relaxed place where the sun is always shining, the waves slosh against the shore, and the margaritas are always ice cold. in 1997 I saw Buffett at Buckeye Lake and The Night I Painted The Sky was the last song of the concert...which led directly into a phenomenal fireworks show. Jimmy tells the story of a trip to St. Maarten where he was allowed to light the fuses to the a rather spectacular pyrotechnic display on the beach. I'm sure it's quite a different view being directly under the explosions.

Happy July 4th, our Independence Day, to all my readers :-)

Independence Day
And all I remember
Was a midnight rainbow
That fell from the sky
As I stand on the beach
I slowly surrender
To the child in me
That can't say goodbye

The rockets in the air
And the people everywhere
Put away their differences for a while
Oh I am still a child
When it comes to something wild
Oh that was the night I painted the sky

The Black Crowes - She Talks To Angels

2006-06-29T22:27:00.000-04:00

I have always loved the Black Crowes. Yeah, they are a bunch of long-haired, hemp-loving, pot-smoking, "look like they smell" kind of band, but the music they have cranked out over the last twenty years has earned my respect. There's been some musical experimentation, lots of anger and band lineup changes, and many distractions (lead singer Chris Robinson is married to actress Kate Hudson), but the blues-rock roots of this group have endured many changes in the music scene since 1985. I haven't seen them live in concert, but I hear it's a hard-rocking show. Chris's on-stage presence reminds me so much of Robert Plant's patented swagger, and he admits that Plant and Led Zeppelin were major influences on the band. She Talks To Angels is off of their major label debut Shake Your Money Maker which also features their first fantastic hit, Hard To Handle, which is cover of a tune Otis Redding wrote and made famous. Angels was their first hit written by Chris and his brother Rich and paints a dark picture of a very introspective girl.

Sam and Dave - Soul Man

2006-06-29T00:09:00.000-04:00

Enough of the new stuff for now. Today we're going back to the golden age of Soul Music with Soul Man by Sam and Dave. I was first introduced to the whole genre by two of my favorite films: The Blues Brothers and The Commitments, and got to experience the music through my involvment in pep and marching bands at Miami University. Although Soul Man was not actually in the Blues Brothers movie, it was part of their live act and they performed it on Saturday Night Live. If this is a time and place in music you haven't explored, check out the entire Sam and Save list at iTunes. I continue to expose my students classics like Hold On I'm Comin', Mustang Sally, and Land of 1000 Dances with my own pep band.

Frederic Delius - To Be Sung Of A Summer Night On The Water

2006-06-27T11:10:00.000-04:00

Summer is still at the forefront of my mind AND I haven't recommended a classical piece in over two weeks, so I thought I would fill the needs of both by giving to you Frederic Delius's To Be Sung Of A Summer Night On The Water. This is a choral piece a la vocalise...there are no words. The voice is used like an instrument. The thick texture, complex harmonies, and myriad suspensions make this peaceful yet intriguing at the same time. The melody almost moves like waves, rising and falling against the shore. Although his early compositions were in the late romantic and impressionistic styles, this later period produced some great works as well. This is the first of of two "To Be Sung Of A Summer Night" songs in the set and was composed in 1917. If you live on the water, this is good any time. If you landlocked like me, try listening to this at sunset.

I'm Going Bigtime! Advertise On This Site!

2006-06-24T10:56:00.000-04:00

As you may have noticed, I have my first column ad on the Good Music Adventure. I'm very pleased to be accepting advertising on my site to help defray my cost of blogging and also to supplement my income as a public school teacher. If you are interested in advertising monthly or yearly on the Adventure, please email me for further information. You can also help me out by clicking on my advertisers to see what they are all about.

More New Music! Nelly Furtado - Glow

2006-06-24T10:44:00.000-04:00

So, I know this is an unusual post seeing that it is a Saturday and all, but I promised that once my degree was done that I would post more frequently. Since I was a bum Thursday and Friday, here's some more new music for your weekend!

I've been listening to Nelly Furtado's new album Loose all week and my feelings are very mixed. There are several good songs on the disc, but some of the tracks I'll probably end up deleting anyways. The one song that I can't get out of my head is "Glow." The lyrics are certainly nothing to write home about, but the groove is extremely addictive. Timbaland, who produced this album, has his signature groove all over this 80's synth-pop revival. This is one of the songs that really feels like Nelly's ideas made the cut as well. I'm a big fan of Nelly Furtado style and past work, and this is a song that I think will really stick around. I bet it will be se second single off the album...let's see if I'm right.

Dixie Chicks - I Hope

2006-06-21T23:51:00.000-04:00

Again, thanks for being so understanding these past few weeks. I really do intend on daily posts after I finish my last class, which will be over on Friday. I'll be continuing with some more new music today!

I've been soaking in the Dixie Chicks' new album the past few weeks and it took awhile to grow on my ears. The album was produced by famed rock producer Rick Rubin, and although this disc is quite a departure from their last album Home, Rubin hasn't shaken things up too harshly from earlier Chicks' work. There is so much more layering (one of his trademarks), but he's more or less just toned down the country rather than bringing up the rock. My favorite track on the album so far is I Hope. It's not nearly as politically flavored as some of the other songs and it fits my very positive outlook on life. I just love listening to Natalie Maines sing and the vocal harmonies on this song are very sweet-sounding. I Hope you enjoy it!

I hope
For more love, more joy and laughter
I hope
We'll have more than we'll ever need
I hope
We'll have more happy ever afters
I hope
We can all live more fearlessly
And we can lose all the pain and misery
I hope, I hope

Wolfmother - Dimension

2006-06-19T23:16:00.000-04:00

I know I haven't been writing on the Good Music Adventure a lot in the past few weeks, but that doesn't mean I haven't been working! While I've been doing classwork, I've been soaking in quite a few new albums and I can now competently make some recommendation on NEW music.

As a music lover that grew up listening to classic rock of the 70's, it was a breath of nostalgia that drew me to Wolfmother. A three-piece band with a sound that can best be described as Ozzy Osbourne meets Led Zeppelin, they put forth a very respectable self-titled debut album. My favorite track is Dimension, which starts with a shocking primal scream, followed by a catchy power chord sequence with lots of unison bass/six-string in the chorus. The drums are thundering a la John Bonham throughout, but especially in the bridge. There's no virtuoso guitar work here, but what it lacks in technique, it makes up for the headbanging quotient. I've had it on in the car, windows rolled down, and the volume cranked up to 11 a few times.

Edward Elgar - Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1

2006-06-16T00:12:00.000-04:00

I'm finishing my Masters degree this week and next. If I don't post every day, please forgive me. After next Friday, I'm done!

To tide you over, here's a Springtime classic in honor of my impending graduate degree. Edward Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 is song everyone knows. The history behind it becoming an all-time favorite for graduations in the U.S. stems from the annual commencement at Yale University in 1905, where Elgar recieved an honorary doctorate. One of the pieces performed in his honor was March No. 1. Interestingly enough, it was not the processional for the event, but instead it served as the recessional, being played when the faculty and officials marched out.

Diana Krall - Pick Yourself Up

2006-06-14T23:15:00.000-04:00

Diana Krall has revived the genre of jazz songstress over the last several years. Each of her recent releases has relied much more on orchestral arrangements, but I really like the "Nat King Cole" trio sound of her earlier albums...piano, guitar, and bass, with Ms. Krall singing. In my opinion, it is jazz at its simplest and most effective. Pick Yourself Up got me through my toughest year of teaching in 1998.

Don't lose your confidence If you slip
Be grateful for a pleasant trip
And pick yourself up, Dust yourself off
And start all over again.

What I'm Listening To - UPDATED!

2006-06-09T07:30:00.000-04:00

Check out the right column of the Good Music Adventure. I've updated the "What I'm Listening To Now" section. I've been soaking in some very good stuff in the last few weeks, the most surprising being Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris's All The Roadrunning. Wolfmother is also a rock and roll blast from the past and great summertime listening. Listen and tell me what you think. Speaking of...please do not hesitate to comment on the Adventure. Whether you agree or not. I'm a big boy - I can take it. :-)

Nickel Creek - First and Last Waltz/Helena

2006-06-08T22:16:00.000-04:00

Okay...I just have to ramble on about my fantastic concert experience last night. I drove three hours to make a two hour trip (Cincinnati traffic was hell) to see Nickel Creek at the Moonlight Gardens at Coney Island, a very intimate outdoor venue. The opening act was Ben Lee, an Australian singer/songwriter, who was very crowd-friendly and was quite entertaining. The weather was terrible as it rained on and off all night, but no one seemed to mind once Chris, Sarah, Sean, and Mark took the stage. They played over two hours and covered music from all three of their albums. All four band members tried out new material as soloists for the encores. Sarah covered a Tom Waits song accompanied with ukelele, Chris played a Bach Partita that was simply AMAZING, Mark played a song on banjo with NC backing him up, and Sean gave us a brand new "short" song, with his sister singing harmony. They ended with "Why Should The Fire Die" around one microphone. The audience was fantastic, and no one seemed to mind the rain. I had the pleasure of being in the second row and so close that I could hear the music unamplified. I got some great pictures, so I included them below. As a plug for the local folk, Nickel Creek is playing a FREE show this Saturday in Springfield, Ohio. More information is available at the band's website.

Almost as an afterthought, I've included today's song(s): First & Last Waltz and Helena, which are another "pair" of songs that should not be seperated. These were the most incredible moments of last night's show. If you really want a great weekend, consider seeing Nickel Creek in concert.

Jimmy Buffett - Jimmy Dreams

2006-06-07T17:37:00.000-04:00

Jimmy Buffett transcends genre, era, and prejudices...the season seems to magically turn to summer every time his music comes up on shuffle. When the sun is out and the sandals are on, I put Jimmy's entire catalog on shuffle. My favorite Buffett song is Jimmy Dreams off of his Barometer Soup disc. A very simple song about preserving childhood in the corner of your mind.

Jimmy dreams. He's a child to the end. What a joy when you are your best friend. The world's just a toy if you'll just stay a boy. You can spin it again and again.

Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me With Science

2006-06-06T09:27:00.000-04:00

I was enamored with She Blinded Me With Science when it first came out (when I was 12 years old), but didn't really understand why until just recently. It was the best-in-class of early 80's synth-pop, and a very unique creation. I love the way Thomas Dolby's introduction builds with additive layering of sound over sound. The synthesized strings are so expressive that they almost sound acoustic, and the creepy overdubs set a mood of "mad scientist" very effectively. This is also a song that I probably would have never heard of if it weren't for the early day of MTV. A lot of music was introduced JUST because it had a video. Remember the old days?...When MTV played videos?!?!

Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gilespie - Salt Peanuts

2006-06-05T06:19:00.000-04:00

The partnership between these two Bebop greats is legendary. There are lots of examples I could start with, but I chose the first recording I ever heard with these two jazz icons playing together - Salt Peanuts. Much of the exposition is in unison, with Parker and Gillespie playing the same notes at a dizzying speed. The rest is sixteenth note syncopations, with the two alternating on and off the beat. The solos really showcase the musical and improvisatory genius that Charlie and Dizzy posessed.

Giuseppe Verdi - La donna e mobile

2006-05-31T21:23:00.000-04:00

Okay...I must admit I've avoided opera up to this point for several reasons. The first is that I really don't like "opera" per se. I think it's too long, too overly dramatic, and the language barrier keeps English-only people like me from truly appreciating the art of the words...lots of things are lost in translation. On the other hand, I believe that the BEST of opera, in bite-sized portions, is truly worth listening to, and there is no better place to begin than with one of the most famous songs ever written.

La donna e mobile from Rigoletto by Giusepe Verdi is the first opera aria I ever liked enough to actually learn how to sing. Not only is the subject matter great ("women are fickle"), but it has a acrobatic lyrical melody that sticks in your memory and makes you whistle it when you don't even notice you are whistling. Good music stands the test of time. This aria was written in 1851. Do you think it has proved worthy?

Gabriel Faure - Pavane, Op. 50

2006-05-30T21:30:00.000-04:00

Gabriel Faure's Pavane, Op. 50 was one of my earliest discoveries in classical music . I first heard a kind of cheesy yet appealing version by Branford Marsalis on his album Romances for Saxophone. Once I discovered the orchestral version, I was immediately enamored with music of the Impressionistic era, and explored many other composers including Debussy, Durufle, and Ravel. Faure's use of orchestral color combined with pleasing harmonies (not nearly as progressive as Debussy's) create a beautiful soundscape of melody, with moments of drama and diversion.

Please Stick With Me

2006-05-26T16:02:00.001-04:00

Please hang in there with me. I'm not posting for the rest of the week becuase I have four concerts in six days at the end of the school year. If you care about my life as a band director, you can visit my band site or Mr. Keller's Blog. I'll have a new post on Monday!

Dream Warriors - My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style

2006-05-24T11:28:00.000-04:00

Developing a thumping jazz style is what the Dream Warriors accomplish in "My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style." King Lou and Capital Q (self-professed "bags of mostly water") use a strange lyric rhythm and rhyme scheme and ample samples from Quincy Jones's Soul Bossa Nova to create this cult classic. There are no "explicit lyrics" in this track, but that doesn't mean that it's not up to hip-hop standards. These two use their sense of humor and asymmetrical rhymes to perfection in this unique 80's artifact, which feeds my music addiction.

No iTunes link was available so you'll have to listen on Amazon.com.

Bela Fleck - Up And Running/First Light

2006-05-22T10:50:00.000-04:00

Like movements of a symphony, I think these two pieces should not be seperated. Up and Running starts off Bela Fleck's landmark Tales From The Acoustic Planet...a mixture of jazz, bluegrass, and folk that breaks new ground in the "newgrass" movement. Using bluegrass instruments like banjo, mandolin, fiddle, bass, and guitar; jazz saxophones (all played by Jeff Coffin); and orchestral instruments such as the oboe, bassoon, and bass clarinet; he runs the gamut of colors and combinations. The lone electric instrument is the six-string fretless bass, played by Victor Wooten. Up and Running challenges your sense of rhythm, with measures of 7, 3, 4, and 6 are mixed freely. It sounds very natural unless you try to march to it! The bottom half of the duo, First Light, begins with Bela on banjo and oboe legend Paul McCandless (who played with Paul Winter, among others) weaving a glorious melody that is repeated and ornamented by other instruments in the ensemble.

Tommy Lee - Good Times

2006-05-18T21:21:00.000-04:00

Okay...even I have some guilty pleasures. (and you'll get to learn about all of them if you keep visiting the Good Music Adventure!) One of my most recent is Tommy Lee's Good Times. It served as the theme to Lee's reality TV show last summer where he attended the University of Nebraska and even played in the Cornhusker Marching Band. The show wasn't much to write home about, but this pop gem is a favorable by-product. Dave Navarro sits in on guitar and Lee drums and sings this summer-y feelgood tune...perfect for a warm weather road trip mix. If you can get past Tommy's bad boy image, you just might find some good music.

Jose Gonzalez - Heartbeats

2006-05-18T10:19:00.000-04:00

I heard Heartbeats on an amazing extended length commercial for Sony a few months ago and it convinced me to buy the entire album by Jose Gonzalez. It is difficult to believe that Gonzalez can bring forth so much emotion with just voice and guitar. His low-tech sound adds an element of home-grown amatuer music, even though he is an accomplished classically-trained guitarist. Spanning all six strings, he accompanies himself with his own bass line, and from the sound of the recording, there are no overdubs on the guitar (though there seems to be at least one on the vocal track). If you want to see the commercial where I first experienced this song, you can find it here.

Crosby, Stills & Nash - Suite: Judy Blue Eyes

2006-05-17T08:15:00.000-04:00

In the age of acid rock (like Jefferson Airplane) and singer-songwriters (like Dylan), David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash were, perhaps, the last bastion of vocal harmony in the 60's. Their songs were intricate, well balanced, and well written. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes was my first conscious foray into their music. I was familiar with songs like Ohio and The Marakesh Express, but didn't put the name and the music together and take notice of their significance until I was in my late teens. This song was on a compilation of Atlantic Records from the 60's through the 80's and it is by far the best song on the three CD set. (Unfortunately the compilation is out of print) After seeing Crosby, Stills, and Nash perform this song live in the 1970 Woodstock documentary, I was amazed at the guitar skills and closely-blended, almost bluegrass-like vocal harmonies. The intensity of their performance was mesmerizing.

Johann Sebastian Bach - "Prelude" from Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1

2006-05-16T07:48:00.000-04:00

Several years ago my students and I attended a brief concert by a vistiting cellist. When asked what his favorite piece was, he replied it was Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 by Johann Sebastian Bach. This piece, he said, leaves so much room for the performer to make music. Bach, like all Baroque composers, wrote only the notes and left the interpretation, tempo, and sometimes even the instrument up to the performer. The Prelude is the first of six movements and is, quite honestly, one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard. The fact that this version is played by Yo Yo Ma, the world's finest cellist, doesn't hurt either.

Jamie Cullum - Twentysomething

2006-05-15T10:42:00.000-04:00

Jamie Cullum wrote Twentysomething when I was a thirtysomething, but I still can identify with what he writes about...what to do with one's life after college. (I'm an expert on Shakespeare and that's a hell of a lot/But the world don't need scholars as much as I thought) This is the song that put Cullum on the map and the music scene. The sing along at the end may seem like an afterthought, but it makes whole track.

He makes no apologies for the fact the he's young and that many of the musicians he's compared to he had never heard of before he became famous. His pop/jazz mode that he's in right now is certainly unique, including his orignal songs and his interesting covers of jazz and pop standards. I'm looking forward to his next effort.

My Daily Tunes

2006-05-14T12:32:00.000-04:00

I have been submitting my daily recommendations to Daily Tunes, hoping to broaden the scope of my messagage and also hopefully directing a few more people to the Good Music Adventure. Click HERE to see my recommendation list at Dailytunes.com. My favorite thing is to click on the "random song". You never know what will come up!

The Little Willies - Easy as the Rain

2006-05-12T08:30:00.000-04:00

How do you follow up a two year span where you've sold millions of albums, single-handedly brought jazz to the forefront of the American listening ear, and taken home five Grammys? By playing old-time country music, of course. Norah Jones became a household name with her huge albums Come Away With Me and Feels Like Home. Rather than try to compete with herself, she dedicated herself to a side project with a bunch of her friends including Lee Alexander, Jim Campilongo, Richard Julian, and Dan Rieser. Their album The Little Willies showcases their chops on classic country tunes by Townes Van Zandt, Elvis, Hank Williams, and Willie Nelson, from whom they relied on inspiration for the name of their band.

Easy as the Rain is a beautiful country-flavored ballad that not only shows off Norah's beautiful voice, but the sweet harmonies with Richard Julian, who sounds amazingly like Lyle Lovett on this song. It's cold and rainy here in Ohio, and I immediately thought of this song when I sat down to write today's article.

If you're not in a mood for cold rainy day sentimental music, check out the song Lou Reed off of the same album. Very clear and humorous imagery, especially if you can picture Lou Reed cow tipping.

Rush - YYZ (The Rhythm Method Drum Solo)

2006-05-11T19:22:00.000-04:00

Although most of Rush's Exit Stage Left is not their best album, the highlight of the disc is YYZ. Apparently part of the rhythm spells out "YYZ" in Morse code, though I can't really find it. The totally amazing part is the live version of Neil Peart's Rhythm Method percussion solo. I could take or leave Rush, but Neil is one of the most talented rock drummers of all time. When I was student teaching at Northmont High School in the early '90's, I got to witness a very talented high school drummer try to re-create a small portion of this drum solo. It took him almost an hour to master a couple of measures. Sometimes it is hard to believe that Peart only has two hands and two feet. Click the pic to see Neil's drum set. Back in the day, he also had a full set of timpani, gongs, and chimes behind him so that when he turned his set throne around, he could play all of the orchestral percussion. Amazing.

P.S. - There's another version of the Rhythm Method drum solo on Rush's Show Of Hands, recorded almost a decade after the original. It is very interesting to see how it has evolved.

Tower of Power - What Is Hip?

2006-05-10T06:21:00.000-04:00

To be honest, Tower of Power was a product of the 60's and was killed by disco. However, the band survives even today (with over 60 roster changes over the years), but their most influential work was all done before 1970. Their use of soul and funk was unique, especially with the inclusion of one of the tightest horn sections of all time. The Tower of Power horns have a career of their own, playing gigs througout the world and recording as a backing horn section with many artists including Santana, Elton John, Lyle Lovett, and Aerosmith.

What Is Hip? is the T.O.P.'s masterpiece. It has an infectious groove and has some of the most amazing horn licks of all time. The gradual crecendo and build in complexity of the bridge pushes the groove to a frenzy. You just can't sit still to this one.