This morning I'm listening to the music of the Hammond B-3 virtuoso, Barbara Dennerlein • See YouTube links below if you must know visually. On her Junkanoo CD she performs with "King" David (aka David Murray) and other fine musicians. It's groove-music all the way down.
I discovered Miss Dennerlein's music through the work of my main piano-man, the late Friedrich Gulda. Mr. Gulda died on January 27, 2000. The Austrian pianist's devotions were Bach, Mozart and Jazz; his Beethoven swings too. Lame connoisseurs of That Music would have us remain in the dark about Bach, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven as improvising musicians - they kicked it too. Friedrich Gulda was a member of the very heavyViennese trinity of pianists, the other members having been Jörg Demus and Paul Badura-Skoda. Gulda's recordings of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven, especially the Beethoven Cello Sonatas with Pierre Fournier, swing. Compare Gulda's recording of Mozart's Sonata in F major k. 332 with that of Mitsuko Uchida, a pianist I also admire. The Gulda has pulse and swing; the Uchida not at all.
It took me a long time getting next to Mozart's art. His string quintets, clarinet quintet and concerto, and a few of the piano concertos were about all I could take of the Great Mozart. Papa Haydn was my man. He was the Duke Ellington of his day, a musician's musician - no fluff, not dainty. What I disliked about Mozart were the performances of Mozart's music -- the music ain't on the page. Mozart was a violist himself, but not many recordings of his wonderful string quartets and quintets reveal his swinging viola writing. When one hears the viola part articulated properly we have a Mozart we can feel.
Have a taste of the YouTube Barbara Dennerlein and Friedrich Gulda linked below -- especially the 1st and 2nd items.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ8QtEzZuoI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmeYEMwrkZM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGVXr4Ji49o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hy_dc8UOjw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcrvnwckKGI
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Hans Keller and Schoenberg via You Tube
Many years ago (circa 1959) a couple of friends and I attended a string quartet recital by the University of Michigan, School of Music's Stanley String Quartet. At that time we didn't know what was in store for us musically. I'm sure that one of us knew something about the string quatet genre, poppa Haydn and his boys, Mozart and Beethoven.
What was most appearent to my boys and me when we sat down in our seats in the small auditorium in the Rackham Building in Detroit was this: there were ashtrays affixed to the backs of the seats. Given this most appealling bit of interior design, we all lit up and smolked our cigarettes throughout the Stanley's recital. Whenever I think about this episode, and the look on the first violinist's face, I shutter. At the time my chamber music vinyl recordings consisted of Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Norman Granz's Jam Session and JATP, The Budapest Quartet's Beethoven, No. 15 in A minor, op. 132, The Juillard Quartet's Bartók Nos. 1 & 2, and Schoenberg's Nos. 1 & 2. These wonderful recordings have been reissued as parts of CD box sets.
I spent yesterday afternoon with the musician Hans Keller (1919 - 1985), with, that is, his fabulous BBC broadcasts -- The Keller Instinct, Parts 1 - 4, Chamber Music, Mozart, Parts 1 & 2, Keller on Fortwängler, 'Performing Greatness', Parts 1 & 2, and 'Portrait of Schoenberg, BBC (Radio, 1967).
I came to Hans Keller, to his writing, through my interest in chamber music, through my interest in the quartets and trios of Haydn, the quartets and quintets of Mozart, the trios, quartets, and quartets of Beethoven, and the quartets of Arnold Schoenberg. I purchased and read Keller's great work, The Great Haydn Quartets, 1986. In the composer Benjamin Britten's words,
What was most appearent to my boys and me when we sat down in our seats in the small auditorium in the Rackham Building in Detroit was this: there were ashtrays affixed to the backs of the seats. Given this most appealling bit of interior design, we all lit up and smolked our cigarettes throughout the Stanley's recital. Whenever I think about this episode, and the look on the first violinist's face, I shutter. At the time my chamber music vinyl recordings consisted of Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Norman Granz's Jam Session and JATP, The Budapest Quartet's Beethoven, No. 15 in A minor, op. 132, The Juillard Quartet's Bartók Nos. 1 & 2, and Schoenberg's Nos. 1 & 2. These wonderful recordings have been reissued as parts of CD box sets.
I spent yesterday afternoon with the musician Hans Keller (1919 - 1985), with, that is, his fabulous BBC broadcasts -- The Keller Instinct, Parts 1 - 4, Chamber Music, Mozart, Parts 1 & 2, Keller on Fortwängler, 'Performing Greatness', Parts 1 & 2, and 'Portrait of Schoenberg, BBC (Radio, 1967).
I came to Hans Keller, to his writing, through my interest in chamber music, through my interest in the quartets and trios of Haydn, the quartets and quintets of Mozart, the trios, quartets, and quartets of Beethoven, and the quartets of Arnold Schoenberg. I purchased and read Keller's great work, The Great Haydn Quartets, 1986. In the composer Benjamin Britten's words,
Hans Keller knows more about the string quartets, and understands them better, than anybody else, . . . composers and players included.Tune into Hans Keller and You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hans+keller
Friday, October 24, 2014
EDGEFEST [18] 2014 - Very Sound!
The 2014 EDGEFEST in Ann Arbor, Michigan at, and because of, the Kerrytown Concert House -- Deanna Relyea, Director and Dave Lynch, EdgeFest Founder and Director (1997 - 2006) -- was a tremendous artistic success. To my ears it was the best EdgeFestival in recent years. Most, perhaps all!, of my oldest and dearest friends were there -- Bill, Bill, Carole and Jim. This year's EdgeFest had as its theme (or 'hook' in the lingo of PR) the contrabass. There were virtuosi all over the Kerrytown space: I heard Diana Gannett, Mark Dresser, Mark Helias, Brad Jones, Harrison Bankhead, and the ubiquitous William Parker. The percussionists Tom Rainey, George Schuller, and the ubiquitous Hamid Drake were essential to the music, providing melodious rhythmic magic. I hadn't heard of the splendid percussionist Aveeayl Ra who provided everything rhythmic for Harrison Bankhead's quartet.
There were numerous sonic surprises for me. The virtuosic saxophonists Roy Nathanson (as & ss) and Mars Williams (ts & ss). I had not heard of either of these fine musicians before. I regret having missed Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (bass) group with Mars Williams and the always inventive percussionist Tim Daisy.
Harrison Bankhead's quartet with Mars Williams and Ed Wilkerson, reeds and Avreeayl Ra drums gave a musically thrilling performance on Friday (10/17/14). William Parker's "In Order to Survive" played two sets of inspired music on Saturday (10/18/14). His regular group consisting of Hamid Drake (d), Dave Burrell (p), Rob Brown (as), and Lewis Barnes (t) was augmented by Steve Swell (tb) and Kidd Jordan (ts).
The 2014 EdgeFest provided its audience with some of the world's finest creative, improvising musicians and This Music (the late Bill Dixon's term) of the highest order.
There were numerous sonic surprises for me. The virtuosic saxophonists Roy Nathanson (as & ss) and Mars Williams (ts & ss). I had not heard of either of these fine musicians before. I regret having missed Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (bass) group with Mars Williams and the always inventive percussionist Tim Daisy.
Harrison Bankhead's quartet with Mars Williams and Ed Wilkerson, reeds and Avreeayl Ra drums gave a musically thrilling performance on Friday (10/17/14). William Parker's "In Order to Survive" played two sets of inspired music on Saturday (10/18/14). His regular group consisting of Hamid Drake (d), Dave Burrell (p), Rob Brown (as), and Lewis Barnes (t) was augmented by Steve Swell (tb) and Kidd Jordan (ts).
The 2014 EdgeFest provided its audience with some of the world's finest creative, improvising musicians and This Music (the late Bill Dixon's term) of the highest order.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Friday, September 12, 2014
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Bright Moments: Guelph Festival 2014 & EdgeFest 2014
Distressing military action at home and abroad has kept me from my blogging activities - I've been obsessed with reading The Guardian, Truth Dig, and Juan Cole's blog, Informed Consent. My other recent reading obsessions have been Thucydides and David Hume - jolly stuff.
Guelph Music Festival
My friend, Jim Murphy, and I have attended five or six Guelph (Ontario, Canada) creative music festivals. Past highlights have included Anthony Braxton, William Parker's Curtis Mayfield Project, Marilyn Crispell, Charlie Haden's Liberation Orchestra with Carla Bley, Henry Threadgill, Peter Brötzmann, Kidd Jordan with Joel Futterman. Guelph, Ontario, Canada is a charming college town with good food and delightful pubs featuring fine Canadian ales.
As I write, I'm listening an exciting CD entitled Beyond Quantum that features Anthony Braxton, reeds; William Parker, contrabass; and Milford Graves, percussion.
Highlights of this year's Guelph Festival were the trios of pianist Randy Weston and Milford Graves with D. D. Jackson, piano and Kidd Jordan, tenor saxophone and The Sun Ra Arkestra led by alto saxophonist Marshall Allen. I must note straight away that the dance company that performed (can't say "danced") with the Arkestra was not a good idea. The Arkestra was very hot and hit every thing it played, from Duke Ellington's Black and Tan Fantasy through Sun Ra's tunes, Body and Soul and Cocktails for Two. The dance company was an unmusical distraction.
The Milford Graves, D. D. Jackson, Kidd Jordan performance was high energy, free improvisation of the highest order. I was pleased to see and hear D. D. Jackson in this context.
P.S. DAMN! How could I have failed to include pianist Vijay Iyer and his trio? They gave a wonderful performance.
EdgeFest 2014 - Ann Arbor, Mi.
The EdgeFest begins October 15 and runs for four days, ending Saturday with William Parker's all star band: Dave Burrell, Kidd Jordan, Rob Brown among others. This years festival features the contrabass. I'm certainly looking forward to being in Ann Arbor and not in Columbus, Ohio.
Below are links to a YouTube documentary about Milford Graves and David Murray.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tNqs8hs9p4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU3La5e9r6U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu4GmHNw4is
Guelph Music Festival
My friend, Jim Murphy, and I have attended five or six Guelph (Ontario, Canada) creative music festivals. Past highlights have included Anthony Braxton, William Parker's Curtis Mayfield Project, Marilyn Crispell, Charlie Haden's Liberation Orchestra with Carla Bley, Henry Threadgill, Peter Brötzmann, Kidd Jordan with Joel Futterman. Guelph, Ontario, Canada is a charming college town with good food and delightful pubs featuring fine Canadian ales.
As I write, I'm listening an exciting CD entitled Beyond Quantum that features Anthony Braxton, reeds; William Parker, contrabass; and Milford Graves, percussion.
Highlights of this year's Guelph Festival were the trios of pianist Randy Weston and Milford Graves with D. D. Jackson, piano and Kidd Jordan, tenor saxophone and The Sun Ra Arkestra led by alto saxophonist Marshall Allen. I must note straight away that the dance company that performed (can't say "danced") with the Arkestra was not a good idea. The Arkestra was very hot and hit every thing it played, from Duke Ellington's Black and Tan Fantasy through Sun Ra's tunes, Body and Soul and Cocktails for Two. The dance company was an unmusical distraction.
The Milford Graves, D. D. Jackson, Kidd Jordan performance was high energy, free improvisation of the highest order. I was pleased to see and hear D. D. Jackson in this context.
P.S. DAMN! How could I have failed to include pianist Vijay Iyer and his trio? They gave a wonderful performance.
EdgeFest 2014 - Ann Arbor, Mi.
The EdgeFest begins October 15 and runs for four days, ending Saturday with William Parker's all star band: Dave Burrell, Kidd Jordan, Rob Brown among others. This years festival features the contrabass. I'm certainly looking forward to being in Ann Arbor and not in Columbus, Ohio.
Below are links to a YouTube documentary about Milford Graves and David Murray.
 |
| David Murray & Raymond White |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tNqs8hs9p4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU3La5e9r6U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu4GmHNw4is
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Letter to Christopher Hitchens
January 11, 2010
Dear Sir:
Because you reckon yourself to be the expert on
religion, world affairs & c., one can understand why
you would believe the stage of letters is not big
enough for you and Gore Vidal. Just as you didn't
give Richard Robinson enough credit in 'your' book
on religion; you don't give Mr. Vidal enough credit
for being nearly on the mark where you are so far
off the mark in your views on world affairs---
especially United States foreign policy.
It appears to this reader that your Vanity Fair article
establishes that Mr. Vidal and his views have
become strange (outrageous). But "strange" in what
sense? I direct your attention to Gregory Vlastos'
Socrates, page 1 where, regarding Socrates'
"strangeness", Vlastos cites Alcibiates' speech
about Socrates in the Symposium:
"Such is his strangeness that you will search and
search among those living now and among men of
the past, and never come close to what he is
himself and to the things he says." (221D)
Mr. Hitchens, you have not come close to revealing
to your readers Mr. Vidal's 'strangeness'. When you
attempt to see Mr. Vidal and understand his
strangeness and his irony, you see someone else.
Who could it be?
To invoke (and give credit to) Karl Kraus: Mr.
Hitchens, like psychoanalysis, "you are the disease
that reckons itself to be a cure". And like the
psychoanalyst and the preacher you are overpaid
for what you profess to do. What disease? The
Pop-Journalist's disease. The Fox 'News', CNN
diseases:
"I'm Christopher Hitchens, I'm (used to be) a
serious journalist. Gore Vidal used to be a lot of
fun, and almost serious. I'm Christopher Hitchens, I
write for Vanity Fair.... Gore Vidal gives interviews
to everyone but me.... I'll fix that. I'll blast the
interviewer and interviewee. I'll sell some
magazines!"
"Success is counted sweetest by those....."
I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. Like you, I
used to be a fan of yours.
Happy Days,
Raymond White
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