Category Archives: Music

James Anderson’s Elevation Quartet

Posted on July 16, 2015 | Comments Off on James Anderson’s Elevation Quartet

Elevation

My violin teacher’s latest project, performing the other day at Central Market South in Austin. Their style has been described as “swing jazz,” though they mostly play straight eights. They play a few standard covers such as Black Orpheus but mostly James’ original compositions: Altitude, Nocturne, Waffle, etc.

He’s on the violin. The others, L to R, are guitarist/composer Alan Retamozo, drummer Brennan Howell and bassist/composer Phil Spencer. Elevation refers to James, Brennan and Phil being from Colorado. Here’s an audio sampler of their work on four of James’ compositions: Waffle, Soho, Mountain Time & Tag Team.

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Posted in Fiddle Stuff, Music, Texana

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Rule 5: Leila Josefowicz

Posted on July 8, 2015 | 1 comment

© glampool

A great beauty as well as a virtuoso violinist.

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Posted in Fiddle Stuff, Music, Rule 5, The Culture

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Rule 5: Meghan Trainor

Posted on June 26, 2015 | Comments Off on Rule 5: Meghan Trainor

mtrainorgrammy

I never watch this stuff. Chaz does it for me. She sings a creditable song, too.

Via Dustbury.

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Posted in Music, Obsessions, Rule 5, The Culture

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Chamber Orchestra was fun

Posted on June 14, 2015 | 2 comments

It was fun, indeed, but I haven’t worked that hard since I retired. Rehearsing a lengthy piece is work. The end-of-the-week concert was a breeze comparatively. And the workshop’s classes were a bit long, though the subjects were useful:

Intonation, expressive performance and bow variations, the bow being 90 percent of the fiddle as my teacher likes to say. The old joke goes: it’s not true the devil invented the fiddle but it is true that he invented the bow. And how.

Nevertheless I am going to try and get in the UTexas adult orchestra to continue this classical adventure a little longer. Only snag would be if I had to audition. I doubt I could get through that. Stay tuned, as the fiddlers say. Ha, ha.

UPDATE:  The UTexas Strings Project “parent” orchestra runs an hour a week from September to May and doesn’t require an audition (or a child in the Strings Project), so I’m going to plan on it.

MORE:  Meanwhile I signed up for a summer version of the above—five rehearsals and a performance—paid my $100 fee, got my 3 charts via PDF and am practicing them for the start on July 14.

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Posted in Fiddle Stuff, Music, Rancho Roly Poly

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Screw you, We’re from Texas

Posted on June 5, 2015 | 2 comments

Always did like Ray Wylie Hubbard, even if his unwashed, scraggly appearance takes a bit of getting used to. As for the post title number here don’t let him fool you.

Irony hell, Ray. And notice how close he clips his mustache, belying the unshaven look. More to this character than meets the eye and ear, obviously.

Via MyOldRV.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Music, Texana

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Chamber Orchestra Workshop

Posted on June 3, 2015 | 4 comments

Less than a week still to practice for my five-day Chamber Orchestra Workshop at Blackerby Violin on Anderson Lane not far from the rancho.

Twenty of us adult beginners, including violins, cellos and violas, will be rehearsing Telemann’s Concerto In D Major, Elgar’s Chanson de Matin, and Mozart’s Serenade in Four Movements for a recital on the last day. “The real classical repertoire,” as my teacher put it. But also a couple of light things such as Scarborough Fair.

After several years of playing Old Time and contra dance music, and lately practicing jazz ballads and klezmer, this will be my first venture into classical music. I think it’s going to be fun.

UPDATE:  Fun, yes, but also work. Not only am I one of the few 70-or-older participants, I’m the only one without much classical in my musical background.

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Posted in Fiddle Stuff, Music, The Culture

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Rocker’s Pearls

Posted on May 24, 2015 | 2 comments

Rocker Ted Nugent’s advice to graduates:

1. Life is not fair. Get used to it.
2. Social justice is a commie scam. Read the drivel of Saul Alinsky and fight it with all you’ve got.
3. Nobody owes you jacksquat. You will either earn your own way, or feel like a helpless leech. There is no middle ground.
4. Economic equality is for sheep. If you really believe we are all equal in our capabilities you will go nowhere.

More. And with Nugent in Waco.

Via Instapundit.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Music, The Culture, The Economy

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