Category Archives: Music

APQ’s new album

Posted on April 26, 2015 | Comments Off on APQ’s new album

This is one cool jazz album you gotta have. It’s Latin American jazz, called nuevo tango, mostly original but all in the style of Astor Piazzolla, an Argentine composer who grew up in Italy and later moved to Brazil. But nevermind all that confusion.

APQ is my genius violin teacher James Anderson’s quintet, called the Austin Piazzolla Quintet and this their new (third) album is called, simply, APQ. And it’s been out there for purchase (for as little as $10 for ten tunes at an average of six minutes each, but you should be generous and pay $20) for several days now.

Try it. I’ll be very surprised if you don’t like it.

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Posted in Fiddle Stuff, Music, Texana, The Culture

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Rule 5: Bryn Davies

Posted on March 17, 2015 | 2 comments

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Now there’s a string musician’s tattoo for certain. In this case an upright bass player and backup singer. She’s the (fully-clothed) babe on this really splendid seven-year-old bluegrass rendition of the Grateful Dead song Cold Rain and Snow. Her solo begins at 2:54. Give it a watch and a listen, why doncha.

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Rule 5: Sarah Whitney

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Definitely not plus-sized, but Ms Whitney is a helluva fiddler and striking, too.

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Posted on January 1, 2015 in Fiddle Stuff, Music, Rule 5

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No fiddle recital until spring

Posted on December 20, 2014 | 2 comments

My teacher, the amazing jazz violinist James Anderson, put off his studio’s fall recital until spring. Too many of his young students had try-outs and auditions to practice for. For us adult beginners, recitals are just a lark.

Meanwhile I still have LOCO, my mid-week gig as a contra-dance band sideman playing backup chords and Pentatonic scales for much better melody fiddlers, along with mandolinists and guitarists. It’s like a free lesson and it’s also fun. I’d forgotten how much I loved ensemble work from my high school and college days as a trumpet player.

For the spring I believe I’m going to work up at least one piece by Duke Ellington, probably Satin Doll, or maybe Prelude to A Kiss. Shoot, I might do both. When it comes to jazz I confess to liking these old ballads the best.

UPDATE:  I’m working up Prelude and a Klezmer piece, Der Yid in Yerushalayim (The Jew In Jerusalem), which includes a harmonic I’m struggling with.

MORE:  The spring recital was set for June 7 but James has canceled it in favor of a new, uncertain date in late June or mid-July. He got a June 7 gig he just could not refuse, playing in the orchestra for this famous, Grammy-winning choir.

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Posted in Fiddle Stuff, Music

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Rule 5: Antoniette Costa

Posted on December 17, 2014 | 1 comment

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A fantastic singer, as well as a beauty, here with eclectic classical (and “beatboxing”) cellist Kevin “K.O.” Olusola

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Posted in Music, The Culture

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Great dreams

Posted on December 9, 2014 | 2 comments

I met Duke Ellington in a dream the other night in a remarkably small theater after his ensemble had concluded their 1927 composition Black & Tan Fantasy.

I tried to bum a cigarette from the great jazzman, but he refused. I thanked him for doing that. “It will make a better story,” I said. Then I woke up with a smile.

When I told my fiddle teacher about it, he wasn’t surprised. “You’ve been playing his music,” he said. Spooky instrument, the fiddle.

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Posted in Fiddle Stuff, Music, Obsessions, The Culture

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Hip Hop Is Boring

Posted on October 4, 2014 | 2 comments

This is music? Pshaw. T.&.A., sure, but music?

It’s mainly rhythm and juvenile rhymes. No harmony, no melody to write home about. Baby stuff compared to Motown. Certainly a far and lonely cry from Duke Ellington.

What a poor excuse for a 21st century this is. All we got is Wormtongue and Hip Hop. Bleh.

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Posted in Music, Obamalot, The Culture

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