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Les Hooper – Composer and Arranger
In the Fat Jazz big band (in which I play piano), one of the tunes we are working on is called Poppin’ Fresh by Les Hooper. It turns out that Les Hooper is a prolific composer and arranger who also does work for TV, Movies, Cartoons, Commercials, and more. His web site has some incredible…
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New Orleans Hurricane Victims Benefit Concert
There have been numerous concerts of all sorts of music in support of the New Orleans hurricane victims. At Michigan State University, Rodney Whitaker, who is head of the jazz studies program, is organizing a concert today that includes some New Orleans musicians, for which MSU provided stipends. More details in this article in the…
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Brad Mehldau with Renee Fleming (NPR free recording)
NPR has made available a free online recording of jazz pianist Brad Mehldau performing with mezzo-soprano Renee Fleming in the Creators at Carnegie series.Click here to view the concert details, and then click the “Listen to the Concert” link that appears below the title on that page. It’s wonderful that NPR has made this music…
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David “Fathead” Newman interview
On his web site you can listen to a full length version of saxophonist David “Fathead” Newman’s signature tune, Hard Times (click here). In an interview with the Salt Lake Tribune, David Newman comments: Some people are intimidated by jazz. I don’t like to be derogatory, but people are under the impression that it is…
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Interview with “Mr. Bongo” – Jack Costanzo
Found a fascinating interview with the one and only “Mr. Bongo”, Jack Costanzo. From his own web site (which contains MP3 samples from his album Back from Havana): Jack Costanzo is known and responsible for the popularity of the bongos all over the world. He introduced bongos into American music when he was with the…
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How to build your own phonograph
My friend AC pointed out this cool link, on how to build your own phonograph (click here). Sounds like a good project for those science buffs out there.
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Free Online Book – Digital Sound Processing
My friend Sigal pointed me to a very good (but very technical) free online book on the topic of digital sound processing (click here). It explains (in very technical terms) such things as how the human ear works, and how humans are able to tell the direction that a sound originates from (i.e. “Spatial Sound…
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New Composition: Piece of Quiet
I just composed a new song which I call “Piece of Quiet”. You can listen to my solo piano version of it here. It’s repetitive and soft like a lullaby, but it has some cool harmonic elements going on. Rather jokingly I will say that if you are a producer and would like to make…
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Flash Animation – John Coltrane’s Giant Steps
Geof just emailed me a link to an amazing Flash animation that goes along with Coltrane’s famous Giant Steps solo (click here). When I was playing saxophone I attempted to transcribe that entire famous solo and play it note-for-note, but I only managed to transcribe the first 30 seconds of it (that took several weeks)…
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Chassidic Jazz Project – combining Jewish music and jazz
Drummer Reuben Hoch leads a group called the Chassidic Jazz Project, which combines traditional Jewish music with jazz and classical influences. On their web site, Hoch describes two different audiences which can appreciate this music: Those completely at home in the world of Jewish music appreciate the group’s new perspective of classic Jewish music. On…