Mi-Bemol Saxophone Ensemble

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Gandalfe

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Having blogged about the Mi-Bemol Sax Ensemble, a stellar and unique Sax Ensemble, I am enthralled by the power and magnificence of the music. So when JBT of the Woodwind Forum pointed to this I lost about an hour listening to their music. It is interesting to note that they have some trouble getting all the arrangements for music they want because,

One of the biggest problems is that new composers won’t write for saxophone in an orchestra setting because if they want their work to be performed by big named groups (like the LA Phil, NY Phil, London SO, etc.)  they also have to be as accessible to these groups as possible, who may have a resident saxophonist around who they call in when a big name like John Adams writes something that has it like in City Noir (my professor premiered that piece).

Marcel Mule and Sigurd Raschèr showed that the saxophone could be taken seriously and used to great effect. Lately the use of  saxophone in orchestras is once again dwindling and a real treat when you can stumble across them.

Marcel Mule was known worldwide as one of the great classical saxophonists, and many pieces were written for him, premiered by him, and arranged by him. Many of these pieces have become staples in the classical saxophone repertoire. He is considered to be the founder of the French Saxophone School and the most representative saxophone soloist of his time, being a fundamental figure in the development of the instrument.

Sigurd Raschèr was an American saxophonist of German birth. He became one of the most important figures in the development of the 20th century repertoire for the classical saxophone. Originally a classical clarinetist in Berlin he took up the saxophone during the 1920s to earn a little money playing in the night clubs around the city. Urged by one of his music professors to try playing the music of Bach on the saxophone he brought a new level of saxophone virtuosity to the concert stage, and to foster the development of serious literature for the instrument.

Finding a sax ensemble piece this well performed and orchestrated can be a bit of a challenge. When I find them I tend to dwell there for a while and dream of hearing a group like this live some day.

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To nap, perhaps to dream…

Posted on March 11, 2012 by Gandalfe

“I talk of dreams, which are the children of an idle brain.” ~ Romeo & Juliet

I realize that my ability to sleep when I want to is a blessing. I hear so many friends lamenting the fact that they don’t get enough sleep. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7 – 9 hours a night.

So here is the Epworth Sleepiness Scale test. I scored a 5 which was labeled normal. The institute recommends: Take this assessment, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, to see if you are too sleepy. Doctors use this routinely to test sleepiness levels. If you rate “sleepy” on this scale, we recommend that you speak with your physician about it.

Think about the movie Groundhog Day where Bill Murray is forced to live the same day, over and over, until he gets it right.

Given a chance, what would you change about your life? Would you have become a professional musician no matter what the pay, risks, chasing after the perfect D blues solo? Or would you major in business and chase the almighty dollar, two car, house in the suburbs dream? Sorry, I don’t have the answer. But guess what? We do have the chance to decide how you will spend the rest of your life. Don’t we…

That said, I will admit to loving a good nap. I usually only get to enjoy a nap on the weekends, and then only one or two as the weekends are typically jammed with all the things I didn’t get done during the work week. The neat thing about naps is that since I rarely reach the deep REM sleep, I remember my dreams; my dreams often look like this:

FairyTrap_AndroidBlues

Picture from the AndroidBlues.com Gallery

Fanciful, erotic, scary, or just panic city, I don’t get to choose what I dream about. But do sometimes try to figure out why I dreamed about something. In this dream, I would wonder who trapped the fairy? Who is the fairy? Is there money in captured fairies? What is my part in this dream; am I the trapper or the fairy.

People often laugh we I admit to loving a good nap. And many times, they agree with me; a good nap can be as good as anything we do. Don’t get me wrong. I get goose bumps from a great performance in music, theater, or certain nice things that happen in life. You live for those moments.

I drool at a great salmon, salivating at the presentation, smell, and anticipation. And don’t *even* get me talking about how I feel when I see a beautiful, smart person, old or young, thin or fat. But those moments can be far apart. In my dreams, they come much more frequently.

There is too much to do in life. Getting enough sleep can be a challenge on a number of levels. But when you get a chance, grab it take a nap, perhaps to dream. Maybe we’ll meet in our dreams.

Posted in Erotic, Everyday Science, Health and wellness, Quote, Tips and Tricks, Too Spicy for some, YouTube | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

The price of gas and other commuting atrocities

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Gandalfe

“The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun.”  ~Ralph Nader

imageI was sitting on the bus last night and happened to look up from my iPad to see miles of SOVs, bumper to bumper, moving about 20 miles an hour. The commuter bus zipped by them in the HOV lane at over 50 mph. Was it my imagination or did this people look tired, slumping in their seats, gripping the steering wheel and wishing they were some where, anywhere else?

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“Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.” ~Steven Wright

At the last house we lived in for the last 11 years, we moved close enough to my work so that I could walk in every morning if I wanted to. Within a year my team moved eight miles down the road. I used that very frustrating occurrence to justify the purchase of a scooter. Riding 1 to 3 times a week I only needed to fill my 1.25 gal tank once a month.

This year we have seen the price of gas go over $5 a gallon. Yes, you read that correctly, $5. Interestingly enough Seattleites have also seen a toll introduced on one of the three only ways to get from the west to east side of Seattle. Oh, and lest I forget, the Seattle transit system cut runs on every bus line and removed others.

So when I moved to a new house farther from the city and started a job in downtown Seattle, I decided to do the Math. My monthly savings can be conservatively calculated at:

  • Orca Bus Card: $160 (paid for by work)
  • Fuel savings by not driving 23 miles each way X twice a day in rush hour (standing) traffic X a month: $300
  • Parking downtown: $250 a month
  • Time savings gained by using HOV lane: 5 hrs a week X $20 an hour X 4 weeks in a month: $400
  • Heath savings do to less stress from not driving in rush hour traffic: Priceless

“This morning, prompted by increasing concerns about terrorism, oil prices reached a record high as the cost of a barrel of crude is a whopping $44.34.  Wow, it seems shocking that a product of finite supply gets more expensive the more we use it.  Now the terror alert means higher oil prices, which oddly enough means higher profits for oil companies giving them more money to give to politicians whose policies may favor the oil companies such as raising the terror alert level.  As Simba once told us, “It’s the circle of life.”  ~Jon Stewart

Posted in Bicycles, Community, Commuting, Ecology, Economics, Employment, Everyday Science, Getting a Job, Guides, Health and wellness, Humor, Politics, Seattle, Tips and Tricks, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

ToneDeafComics.com

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Gandalfe

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Nude du Jour: The Musician

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Gandalfe

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Measuring Swing Tempo ~ Fast versus Frickin’ Fast

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Gandalfe

Last year we talked about Measuring Music Tempos ~ How Fast is Fast? Today I’m going to tilt my lance at Swing tempo, which has a no published standards. First we must define Swing.

MJBdancers3“In jazz and related musical styles, the term swing is used to describe the sense of propulsive rhythmic “feel” or “groove” created by the musical interaction between the performers, especially when the music creates a “visceral response” such as feet-tapping or head-nodding (see pulse). The term “swing” is also used to refer to several other related jazz concepts including the swung note (a “lilting” rhythm of unequal notes) and the genre of swing, a jazz style which originated in the 1930s.

As Swing Jazz was dance music and coevolved together with Swing dances such as Lindy Hop the term Swing can be understood as music that makes you want to dance. Even though there is overlap between these concepts, music from any era of jazz or even from non-jazz music can be said to have “swing” (in the sense of having a strong rhythmic groove or feel).

While some jazz musicians have called the concept of “swing” a subjective and elusive notion, they acknowledge that the concept is well-understood by experienced jazz musicians at a practical, intuitive level. Jazz players refer to “swing” as the sense that a jam session or live performance is really “cooking” or “in the pocket.”

If a jazz musician states that an ensemble performance is “really swinging”, this suggests that the performers are playing with a special degree of rhythmic coherence and “feel”. Although referring to a “sense of swing” is often done in the context of ensemble performances (e.g. a jazz combo or band), even an unaccompanied soloist can be said to be performing with “swing”. ~ Wikipedia

I have heard a number of suggestions for determining, but I like this attempt the best.

    • Fast Swing: 264 – 336, and up
    • Up Swing: 208 – 252
    • Medium Up Swing: 160 – 200
    • Medium Swing: 120 – 152
    • Moderate Swing: 104– 116
    • Slow Swing (walking ballad): 84– 100
    • Medium or just Ballad: 63– 80
    • Slow Ballad: 70 and slower

As you might have noticed, there is a lot of variance on the edges. This scale reflects my experience and does provide for some fuzziness on the edges. I would be interested in hearing the thoughts of some professionals.

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Unemployment: Do the Math

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Gandalfe

Here’s the chart the Republicans don’t want you to see.

GotBush

Vote responsibly.

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Noah’s Band

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Gandalfe

…in the dark of night the Lord awoke Noah, and spoke to him saying “Noah, awake and heed my words!”

And Noah, being sore, afraid and disoriented, did cry out, “Who goeth there?” And the Lord did smite him upside the head, saying, “It is the Lord of all things, dummy!” And Noah did tremble, saying, Lord, why hath thou wakened me?” And the Lord did say, “Noah, build me a Casual Band.

SaulBrad“For the earth will be visited by a plague of brides, followed by forty days of trade shows and forty nights of award banquets.” And Noah did say, “Command me, Lord.”
And the Lord did say, “First, thou must find me a leader.” And Noah replied, “But Lord, will I not be thy leader?” And the Lord did smite him again, saying, “Fool, thou will be my contractor. Ask not why!”

And Noah did bow his head, saying, “Yes, my Lord. And what will this leader play?” And the Lord said, “It mattereth little, whether he play or not, or whether he be proficient or not. For his job shall primarily be to talk to the brides and their mothers, and to deal with clients, and to count off tempos wrong, and to inquire as to whether overtime will happen, and to try to segue tunes that should not be segued. If he playeth any instrument, thou must always have another player of that instrument in the band, just to be safe.”

JazzyJaAGAnd Noah did say, “And what else shall this leader do?” And the Lord replied, “It shall be his job to spread bad information and confusion amongst the sidemen, and to pit them one against the other, and to delay all payments. “Further shall it be his job, until we can afford a soundman, to create feedback, and to invent new equalization curves therefore.” And Noah did shake his head in wonder, saying, “Lord, thy ways are strange and mysterious. What more shall I do?”

And the Lord said, “Next, find me a rhythm section. First, find me a drummer. And three things above all must this Drummer possess.” And Noah did ask, “What are these three things; double bass drums, an electronic kits, or congas?” And the Lord did smite at Noah again, saying “Second-guess me not, my servant.”

Dissonance2006-9First, this drummer must have slightly imperfect time, so that whenever he playeth a fill (and he shall play many), he always emergeth at a different place, sometimes early and sometimes late, but thou may not guess which. And second, he must be supremely discontent, always hoping for the big break which will lead to him playing with Chick Corea or Madonna, so that he despiseth jobbing. “And third, he must always be convinced of his righteousness, in all things, including time, volume, tempo and feel, so that he argueth always with the bass player.”

And Noah did say, “As you command, Lord. And what next?” And the Lord did say, “Thou art learning, Noah. Next shall be the bass player. And he shall be bored. That is all.”
And Noah did say, “Of course, and next, my Lord?”

“Next shall be the piano player. And he shall play as if he has twenty fingers, and he shall ply substitute upon substitute, until no man may name the chord, and he will not be helpful. Furthermore, he shall always be late. And he shall always be trying out new gear, of which he has no knowledge.” and Noah did wonder aloud, “Lord, great is thy wisdom!”

“Next shall be the guitar player. And he shall be a rock guitar player. And he shall be loud, and he shall sing ‘Old Time Rock n’ Roll’. Also shall he know not the page, and so shall rely upon his ears, which have been damaged by exposure to to loud music for too many years. For the guitarists who read shall already be playing shows, and will be making big shekels. And his tux shall always be the rattiest, gnarliest things you’ve ever seen.”

And Noah did say, “It shall be done.”

Picture 299And the Lord did say, “Next thou shall need horns. First shall be the saxophones, they shall be beboppers. And they shall play their Bird quotes in every song, yea, even the Celine Dion ballad. And they shall get high on every break, and make the long faces all night long, but especially when the chart ‘In The Mood’ is called.

Next shall be the trumpeters. And they shall every one attempt to take everything up an octave, and fail frequently. And of changes they shall know nothing.

And finally shall be the trombone player. And many jokes will be made about him, for he will have a beeper, as well as a day job, and he will be the first to be cut from the Band. And Noah, taking many notes, did say, “Mighty is the Lord!”

And Noah did say, “What else can be left, Lord?”

Picture 313And the Lord did say, “Finally, find me the singers. And they shall be three, one a male, and two females. And the male shall be a strutting peacock, with the Rock ‘N Roll hair, and he shall never have to wear a Tuxedo, and also shall he play the harmonica. He shall always complain about the volume, intonation, and impede the swing.”

And of the Females, one shall be black and one shall be white. And the black one shall ALWAYS sing the Aretha songs, and the disco. And the white one shall ALWAYS  sing power ballads, and country songs. But both shall share the motown medley. They shall sing backup for the male, and forget the words, be late, and know nothing of keys or form. And they shall leave every gig immediately, having never touched a piece of equipment. And they shall be paid many more shekels than the sidemen. Ask not why.”

And Noah did say, “As Thou sayest, my Lord.”

And the Lord did command him, “Search high and low for these, as not every musician can fulfill these requirements. And though we have no work yet, a commitment must be secured from all. And while you’re at it, start looking for subs.” And Noah did say, “Lord, thy will be done.” And so it was.

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Overjoyed

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Gandalfe

“After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible, is music.” ~ Aldous Huxley

Esperanza Spalding is an American multi-instrumentalist best known as a jazz bassist and singer, who draws upon many genres in her own compositions. In 2011, she won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the 53rd Grammy Awards, making her the first jazz artist to win the award.

If “esperanza” is the Spanish word for hope, then bassist, vocalist and composer Esperanza Spalding could not have been given a more fitting name at birth. Blessed with uncanny instrumental chops, a multi-lingual voice that is part angel and part siren, and a natural beauty that borders on the hypnotic, the prodigy-turned-pro might well be the hope for the future of jazz and instrumental music. ~ Facebook Profile

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Flash Mob vs. Smart Mob

Posted on February 25, 2012 by Gandalfe

Another item on my Bucket List is about to be played out. A flash mob is a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and seemingly pointless act for a brief time, then disperse, often for the purposes of entertainment, satire, and artistic expression. Flash mobs are organized via telecommunications, social media, or viral emails.

 

The term, coined in 2003, is generally not applied to events and performances organized for the purposes of politics (such as protests), commercial advertisement, publicity stunts that involve public relation firms, or paid professionals. In these cases of a planned purpose for the social activity in question, the term smart mobs is often applied instead. (Read more at Wikipedia)

ShazDanceThe Microsoft Jumpin’ Jive Orchestra is doing a flash mob (actually a smart mob) for a Microsoft Conference next Tuesday. We are doing it to the song Jump, Jive, and Wail. It has taken a lot of work to choreograph the three minute event. I had no idea it would be so complex. First you have to re-arrange the music to fit the mode where, in this case, we are starting with the drum. Then we bring in the bass, piano, guitar, trombones, trumpets and finally the saxes.

The event planner is strategically placing us so that the conference attendees will come into the Grand Ball Room when they hear the music. Once the smart mob event is over we move to the band stand to prepare for an hour of dinner music.

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