Despite the alarmist title, I’m hoping that this workshop will be the best one yet. We’re about 12 in number and the room is abuzz with conversation even before the workshop officially starts. Officiant is Sandra Gibson; head of Association of Performing Arts Presenters.
3:15 – Introductions Mix of professional organization staff, agents and presenters.
KingsPointe – DelRay Beach Florida; an interesting situation. They present 85 shows a year and are based in a retirement community where retirees are on fixed incomes. I believe they also have a film festival. They cater to residents first, but now are selling show tix to outside residents. They’re bringing in university acts from local universities in Florida. Their president is here and he’s saying that folks are pickier and still scared of the economic climate.

3:20 – Larry Koster of SMG Artists,
1. create greater “member value”
2. APAP is looking for what they can do to help presenters; he will take our input back to the board of directors.

3:23 – Sandra tells us about APAP, which has a convention similar to PAE. They’re surveying presenters needs. They report that layoffs abound, but that presenters are still optimistic.

3:26 – How do we come out of this recession stronger? What planning & fiscal changes need to happen?

3:30 – examples of community arts groups that have bonded during financial hard times to consolidate ticketing, management, promotion staff, etc.

Robert Baird (Agent) – Artists want to work. He tries to make “give-n-takes” work between his artists and presenters.

John @ Paul Taylor Dance Company: we found that the fees didn’t cover our touring expenses. The board of directors affirmed its mission that they are more interested in promoting the art than profit. The fact is that artist fees only cover about 68 cents of every dollar. Old timers will tell you that its still better today than 30 years ago.

The way they used to do it was “booking” on tour. When they stopped and performed, they put the workd out and found some high school or community center near their gig to book their next appearance. Point = there is no business model for the true artists; they are going to be “doing their thing” regardless of the economy. Art will survive because artists are survivors. Just keep reminding the bean-counters of this.

It’s so true that presenters are living off the energy that artists bring to the table. Artists are driven by transformational energy that transcends the economy.

3:42 – J.D. Sutton (artist) reminds us of the Parable of the Talents (N.T.). We are accountable for using what we are given.

Ken Waldman (artist) – Recession? What recession? Presenters have been getting cuts for years. The odd thing is that as tough as it is, it has been tough and states that used to have no money for the arts are now on top in per capita funding (example = Wyoming). Big organizations still haven’t gotten the idea that you can survive significant cuts by changing your “economy of scale”. There are amazing resources out there; identify the folks that get grants. They’re going to survive. Find the people that are prospering in hard times.

Larry Koster – Tribute band “trend” = disturbing. This is an arts bridge to nowhere. Not only are we not supporting emerging artists, but we are going to lose these artists due to “age-out”. Young audiences are unconnected. We must focus on the future of the audiences for fine arts organizations. Our foremost task should be this.

Valerie from Delray Beach. “We can’t afford the original artists, but we’re supporting the next generation of musicians who will develop their craft and write for the next generation of audiences. Tribute shows may not be perfect, but they’re not the devil.

Arthur from DelRay – if it wasn’t for profit making venues like us, grounded in the “real world”, there wouldn’t be a measure of quality.

John @ Paul Taylor. Commercial venues are the reality check for artists. Bad emerging artists are the devil.
Run an organization like a business and don’t try to be a bunch of elitists upheld by brown-nosing peer review grant panels.

Manuel (?) He’s seeing that the relationships built on long-term successes becoming most important. He’s seeing a small market for real art (classical music) and a big market for crossover acts (cellists that play led zepplin mixed w/ flight of bumblebee).

???- (presenter) We’ve gotta fill the seats so we can sell ourselves to sponsors. If new artists don’t fill seats, we can’t use them.

Larry K – I’m saying that presenting should be balance. There is work that needs to be seen by audiences, even if they are unknowns. Artists need to eat.

Arthur – We do bring in talent; don’t think that we are just chasing the dollar. We agree that there’s a mission. Quality is key. Our audiences vote with their feet. If they are not talented folks, they’ll (the audience) vote with their feet. There are great artists who forget when to stop playing. They can come in via casket and they’ll still sell out the venue.

John @ Paul Taylor – If you want to see my dance company but don’t have the money, still tell me. I might be able to work out something. Relationships. Everyone tries to reinvent the conference. These conferences are about relationships and I always find a new presenter. These folks would never call my office, but talking with them on a bus ride begins something that plants the seed for a new presenter/agent relationship. Conferences are about maintaining our family. It’s all about performing. The live experience is what we are about. It’s only reinforced by us meeting face to face. It all starts with a personal relationship.

3:20 PM (Bob from Fla – presenter) – Cooperatives. I’m working with local jazz clubs – doing 50-50 splits. That gets me more shows with no money out of our budget for the act. We have $21 K presenting budget for the year.

Ken (Artist) Summary – It appears that relationships emerge as key in surviving economic turmoil. You never know when serendipity will come, but you have to show up.

It’s a pretty place.

Video 8

An award for the person who has given unselfishly to the arts and arts presenting community throughout his/her  career.

The second ever award was presented this year at PAE to Jim Mullin (spelling?), of the Pennsylvania presenters community.  More information on Jim will be forthcoming at http://paesaf.blogspot.com/.

Next post will be this afternoon;  have been visiting showcases and meetings with agents.   Will have lots to talk about when I have time off my feet.

The question is not what is good music, but what is music good for.    That’s what Bill Bragin, Director of Programming for the Lincoln Arts Center said.  The following is my interpretation/CliffNotes summary of what was important.

He asks;  Who are we here to serve?  There are so many needs for critical services, basic health care, etc…  Bring beauty to a troubled world, but do more.

Example – Iraq war = need for more world music performances.  Diversity, not hate.  Bring people together.  Using music for social change…   You get the picture.

Look at lesser-know artists from around the world.  Help unrepresented artists and raise awareness of a global community.  It serves, artists, audiences, and as soft diplomacy.  Music for social change.

This man is a DJ in NYC for fun.  If you don’t believe me, do a search “dj acidophilus”

And he’s the head man in charge of presenting at Lincoln Center.  I’m dying to ask him “what should my students do to prepare for a career doing what you’re doing?   Learn to make beats?  Take classes in international relations?

I can tell from his speech that it’s not the quality of the act, it’s the quality of the question.  Great ideas transcend the “mouthpiece” and even an amateur act from the Balkans is fair game if the content is right.   I’m hearing “race studies” in the same sentence w/ “theatre”.  Arts presenting is a powerful weapon for reaching the masses and delivering a message.

Wow.  I’ve heard that statement before, in connection w/ historical issues, especially WWII, so hearing it again robs my focus from the speech.

What do you think?

He’s done great things for New Orleans;  organizing arts events for hurricane relief in the wake of Katrina.  This guy has a heart.

You can tell he has a reverence for performing artists.

Closing.  How can we serve the social good?   That’s a good question, Bill.     Can we all agree on what’s good?

*thunderous applause*

10:50 -  All the venues in the state of Alabama that attend PAE are here.  And the ASCA staff.  It’s noisy in our room, and the music is piped in over the intercom.   The person who was in charge of the block booking initiative retired…that’s why nothing ever happened this spring.

There’s a new website in the works;  artsconsortiumofalabama.com   -  wow – that’s a big, big URL.

SouthArts.org is going paperless for their new e-grant.

They’re going online with grant applications;  http://southarts.egrant.net.  System live in October.  It’s the same software that ASCA uses, so I don’t need training.  Yay!

They’re supporting block-book tours.  Three presenters can get together for applying for the entire tour fees of an artist.   Very Cool.   Starts March 8, 2010.  Concert must be booking July 2010-June 30th 2011.  Must have a presenter from another state, (all applicants can’t be from just one state).

Introductions & chat…I’m hungry.

9 AM  – I’m sitting here in a PAE workshop about small operations. This is supposed to be a group discussion, but we have a strong leader w/ obvious background in higher ed who is enjoying giving us a play-by-play account of the previous year’s conference. It’s been 20 minutes and he keeps talking about letting each of us introduce ourselves; I hope it’s soon!

9:24 -  I just introduced myself.  Yay me.

9:30 – Cheri Clark from Enterprise/Coffee County Arts Alliance is here;  2 Alabama folks in the same workshop.  She’s funny…and telling about booking a dance troupe that couldn’t keep  their clothes on.  Small world.

9:45 -  Moderator is talking about screening performing acts for healthcare venues.   In summary, find someone who survived prognosis X, put call the media and get some press, then have them at your venue.

“Wanted – performer who is a breast cancer survivor for 300 seat venue.  Send demo / EPK to _____  .”

Huh?

9:50  – Still  introducing folks.   This guy one venue guy is offering an orchestra a “Ticket-split” and gets 4 shows a year without any monetary outlay.  Amazing.  He’s trying to “raise the bar” in his community above the ordinary “All-female Big truck mud wrestling shows” that his community seems to prefer.

10 AM –Now we’re talking about “performance accreditation” and QEP documentation for venues linked to universities.  Will adminis-trivia never cease?  Can’t we talk about the real world?

10:05 – This guy is doing a one-man show about being stranded for 4 days in an airport after the 9/11 Terrorist Attack.  He says it’s a comedy.  Is this a good thing?

10:07 – This presenter from Sarasota tells us that location is everything.  His venue is located INSIDE A GATED RETIREMENT COMMUNITY!!!    He has about 300 seats, does 35 shows, and co produces as much as he can with another venue close by.   Very cool.

10:10 – One venue is holding a dance festival very successfully.  I’ve never been to a dance festival.  5 troupes perform an evening w/ masterclasses during the day.  Last year, they started a gospel choir festival during MLK week.   Wow!  That’s cool.

10:15 – An agent is in the room that actually wrote a grant for a presenter to get one of her groups in his venue.  Is that a good thing?  She’s selling us on the importance of having a great relationship with an agent who will “look out for our best interests”.  Hmmm…

10:30   – Ticket splits…seems to be a trendy thing.  Promoting using public radio is another trendy thing.

10:35 – Finally, we’re “talking”   Why couldn’t we have been doing this all along?

Sister Rosetta Tharpe singing “Music in the Air” (AKA – Up Above My Head).

There’s music in the air, as the Troy Arts Council officially kicks off its 2009-2010 season Tuesday with Tuck & Patti and guest artist Judith Owen. It’s been a crazy week, with a break-in yesterday in Studio A. I had my 24-track machine in there with a couple of monitors and a 12 channel Onyx board, but they snubbed my stuff and went for the 20K worth of ProTools computing glory. I guess I was lucky, but this effectively shuts down our big studio until the school can replace the stolen equipment.

Speaking of security, there are still no locks on our office doors on 1st floor; that’s why all my personal studio stuff is still in storage, and aural skills assignments are backlogged; I’m not bringing my equipment to school until it’s safe. Period.

Wednesday, I’m off to PAE in Norfolk, VA to hear new music acts. I already have a short list, but I’ll keep my ears open.

I have the hardest time saying “no” to folks. That’s why there’s another post and recollection RE: Ibanez guitars up at Jemsite.com.

Troy Arts Council of Troy Alabama on Facebook

In 1980, I was the first kid on the block to buy one of these;  the venerable Casio VL-tone.  Today, while cleaning out my parents house, I found it.  Brought it home and inserted 4 AA batteries, and Voila!  It worked.  Yay for lo-fi synthesis!

Many years ago, I sold Ibanez guitars.  Last Friday, I walked into a music store south of Indy and saw this Japan-era Roadstar II hanging there.  Oil finish neck.  Setup was great.  Cosmetically, it was in better shape than this pic I found on the net.  Long story short…it followed me home.  Can I keep it?

The folks at Sweetwater are streaming their clinics;  I just listened to a roundtable discussion on tracking/mixing and it was really great!  Check it out here

Here’s a pic from the April ribbon cutting of the film festival.  See how far behind I am?  This is piano camp week and I’m teaching everyday.  The upcoming arts season is keeping me busy;  I’ll tell you more as I get time.

Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated…

-J

It’s the end of the semester and it’s safe to say that I’ve managed to bite off more than I can chew.
The film festival is over and it was a success, but the numbers were a bit low for my tastes. Our biggest crowd was 80 people. When I think of all the time and effort it took to publicize the event, it makes me realize that a) I need a new strategy, and b) it takes more than a newspaper article or radio interview to get people off their sofas and down to a free movie.

Hope to be back when things slow down a bit. Until then, enjoy “More than I can Chew” by Bill Hanlon.

If you haven’t heard of RipRemix, you need to check it out at www.ripremix.com.  It’s about to be screened at our first film festival here in Troy, Alabama.  It will change the way you think about mice, corporate greed and remix artists. 

In tribute, here is a video to illustrate a new artist:  Eclectic Method.

Eclectic Method – Rock & Remix from Eclectic Method on Vimeo.

Services for Ruth Cardwell Jinright of Troy, who peacefully passed away Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at Troy Regional Medical Center, were held at 6:00 P.M., Friday, April 17 at Green Hills Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Doc Kirby officiating.  Burial was in Green Hills Cemetery under the direction of Green Hills Funeral Home.
She was born April 30, 1925 in Troy, Ala. and was a lifelong resident of Pike County. She was a graduate of Troy High School and Massey Business College. She served as bookkeeper over the years for Troy Bank and Trust, Banks Elementary School, Bethel Primary School, and the Troy University Physical Plant.  She was an active member of Williams Memorial Presbyterian Church since its inception and served as its bookkeeper and a Sunday school teacher for many years. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother and friend.
She was preceded in death by her husband, J.P. Jinright, her parents, Clarence and Ruth Somersett Cardwell, and sisters Ruby Law and Lorraine Harris.  She is survived by her son John Jinright, daughter-in-law, Penny, and their children, Jessica and Tessa, all of Troy, a sister, Hilda Wininger (Tucson, AZ), a niece, Gail Liston, (Jefferson, MA), a brother, Clarence Cardwell, Jr., (Midland, TX), nephews Bob Cardwell (Austin, TX) and Bill Cardwell, a niece, Jimmie Sue Cummins (Princeton, IN), a nephew, Ed Harris (Arab, AL) and their respective families.
The family especially wishes to thank Dr. Pink Folmar, Mrs. Jane Denison, Mrs. Shirley Brabham, Mrs. Billie Anne McCloud, Mrs. Betty Powell, Mrs. Elizabeth Dansby, Mrs. Rebecca Shipman, Mrs. Pauladene Edwards, Mrs. Jeri Redmon and Mrs. Lois Byrd for their kindness and love over the years. The family also expresses gratitude to the nurses, doctors and aides of Troy Health and Rehabilitation Center and the Troy Regional Medical Center. Memorials can be made to the Williams Memorial Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 1331 Troy, AL 36081.

This Blog is Green

Here at the Control Room, I understand that there is an emissions footprint associated with my business operation. That’s why I decided to take a leadership role in calculating and offsetting 100% of the total calculated carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with my blog’s annual electricity, natural gas use, employee commuting, corporate air travel and corporate owned vehicles. I am taking further steps to be green by using LED and compact fluorescents where possible, biodegradable cleaning products, recycled office supplies, and taking my own lunch to work.This year my commitment probably offsets a couple of metric tons of CO2.  What’s a metric ton of CO2 weigh,anyway?  A ton?  Did I mention I own a farm planted in trees?. Every time you ask me to do something, you are supporting renewable energy projects that reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
 

P.S.  If you are associated with the studio I’m poking fun at, just remember:  I really do own a farm with thousands of trees! 

Peace,

-

j

I’ve written a new article for Jemsite, the ultra-cool Ibanez guitar blog.  Check it out at http://www.jemsite.com/blog/43-general/804-diy-festival-101.html

What else is going on?

Mom is out of the hospital and is getting physical therapy at the rehab hospital in town.  We hope that she’ll be able to walk again!

I tackle a tough arts council meeting tonight and try to get 3-4 more contracts signed.  For an organization whose sole purpose is to bring in great performers, these folks certainly resist spending money!  I’ll give you an update on who we’ve booked when the dust settles.

The film festival is on, but the local press is confusing folks by making up their own start times.  It’s tough to get these folks to correct their errors, too.  I’m sending out a new press release later this week to announce the addition of two films, so hopefully we can get the correct times posted before festival day.

Guess that’s about it for today.

Peace,

J

If I have any details wrong, please correct me!

Therefore,  the best song at the moment is obviously  (In the truest imitation of Jack Pribek’s world-wide blogtrend):

A message from www.musicFIRSTcoalition.org

On March 31, 2009, we are going to launch the first musicFIRST Phone Bank Day. What this means is that we want all of our supporters across the country to pick up the phone and call their House and Senate Representatives. We want label groups, music unions, recording studios, and every individual to pick up the phone, call Capitol Hill, and express their support for the Performance Rights Act (HR. 848 and S. 379).

To locate your Representatives, you may go to www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.

Recommendations:

Host a calling party and invite colleagues and friends to stop by for 5 minutes to call their Representatives.
E-mail 15 of your contacts across the country and set a time for all of you to call your respective Representatives on March 31st.
Hang flyers around your office reminding everyone to call their Member of Congress on March 31st in support of this important legislation.
Send an Action Alert email to your membership lists encouraging them to call Capitol Hill on March 31st.
Host a breakfast or lunch at your office and invite local musicians to come and call their Representative.

We all know how much support musicFIRST has across the country. It is time to demonstrate that to Capitol Hill.

Talking Points for Phone Calls

The Basics:

STEP 1: Call the Capitol Switch board at 202-225-3121 and ask to be connected with your Senator or Member of Congress.

• To find this information go to www.musicfirstcoalition.org and click on TAKE ACTION. Enter your zip code and the site will give you your Representatives names and contact information.

STEP 2: Ask to speak with the aide that handles Judiciary Committee issues or music issues. You are calling in support of The Performance Rights Act.

• Telephone calls are usually taken by a staff member, not the Member of Congress or the Senator.
• When calling your Member of Congress the bill number is HR. 848. For the Senate, the bill number is S.379.

STEP 3: State the reasons for your support of the bill. Are you a musician or a person that works in the music industry? Share personal stories about why this legislation would make such a positive impact to the music community in your area.

• You may know more about this issue then the staffer does.  Frequently staffers are looking for good resources to understand an issue, so use this as an opportunity to educate the staffer.

• If you must leave a voicemail, state your name and hometown, the bill number (HR. 848 and S. 379), and reasons to support the bill.  

Main Points of the Performance Rights Act:  

• Every time a song is played on AM/FM radio in the Unites States, the performer does not receive any money. For example, when you hear Aretha Franklin sing RESPECT over FM radio, Otis Redding’s estate gets paid (since he was the songwriter) but not Aretha.

• Aspiring performers, local musicians and well known artists deserve to be compensated for their work when it is played on the radio.

• Corporate radio is the only music platform that enjoys this exception: satellite, cable, and internet radio all compensate artists and performers for the use of their music.

Thank the Member or staffer for his/her time and leave your contact information if you would like follow up communication.

After 2 days of relentless rain, I’m glad to say that it’s stopped for now and the sun is shining.  This means, of course that the best song at the moment (in true Jack Pribek fashion) is:

(

For all you concert producers/promoters out there, this sounds like a good deal to me:

WizTix.com is the lowest cost, most user friendly On-Line ticketing website in the world.

WizTix users have the ability to select their own reserved seats. And do it easier and faster, with more options and greater adaptability.

Tired of those ridiculously high fees the other guys charge? WizTix users will enjoy among the lowest cost on the internet.

Try WizTix and see for yourself – Lowest Cost – Best Service – Bar None! WizTix is .. Multi-user, with unlimited number of users. Internet based …no network required, no space on your hard drive Handles Offsite Locations Seamlessly …(i.e. downtown ticket office, a suburb, even a different city) at no cost Totally secure (SSL) and instantly backed up Continuously upgraded at No Charge Amazingly low price .. Per ticket service charge on line (for internet customers) ..$1.50/ticket Per ticket service charge in-house (box office) 25¢ ticket Client set up … $100, plus $250 if you need a reserved seat plan Ticket printer …$325~1700 (or use your existing one) Credit card fees …. use your own and pay the lowest fee you can negotiate … and have your ticket sale money within 4 days after you sell the ticket Surpasses systems that cost tens of thousands of dollars

I’m looking at this system for our upcoming arts council season;  if anyone has other suggestions, please let me know.

In true Jack Pribek fashion,  the best song at this particular moment is Michael Kelsey’s “Psycho Girl”:

Sorry for my lack of posting;  Mom’s back in ICU and I’m swamped with school work.  Some days I realize that I work too hard, but it’s good for me, right? 

There’s not much to talk about, other than the film festival that we’re having in April.  Somehow I ended up in charge of (i.e. doing) everything.  That’s why I haven’t been around in a while.  So keep your fingers crossed for me and keep my mom in your prayers.  Thanks everyone.

And now, (in true Jack Pribek fashion);    The song of the moment is…..

Some zombie pics are up at my wife’s site:

http://dragonlady474.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/zombie-pics-2/

They’re making a zombie short film in town and the director called me up to help out with some microphone issues.  I loaned them a large diaphragm condenser that seems to be just the ticket.  The film will hopefully have its first screening at our film festival here in Troy during the April town festival.  I didn’t realize that these new HD cameras have stereo XLR inputs and phantom power!  Man, that makes it easy if you just want to put up some omnis and not worry about patterns and rejection!  Of course, no one can really be quiet on a set, especially if you’re running the camera or directing.

Last night my wife and I went down to the building where they were filming.  She saw a couple of zombies and instantly wanted to help with makeup, so I went home and got her Halloween makeup kit and we stayed there another couple of hours while she made-up 3 zombies.  In this town, that’s entertainment!

My hat’s off to the independent film producer, director and crew.  That’s hard work with only a slight chance of financial reward.  A labor of love. May you find all the money and friends you need to make it happen.  Happy Zombie Shoot!

Got this email today. Hope you’ll join us in supporting this legislation!! Click on the link below to add your voice!

-J

Dear Atlanta Chapter member:

On the GRAMMY telecast last month, Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow announced, “With a new Congress, we will champion the passage of pending legislation to ensure, that just like in every developed country in the world, all music creators are compensated for their performances when played on traditional radio.”

This week, members of your Chapter board went to Washington to bring this message from our community to Congress. Your elected Chapter representatives met with key policymakers to encourage support for The Performance Rights Act. The act would close the “corporate radio loophole” that prevents artists from earning royalties when their work is used by the $16 billion radio industry.

Now it’s your turn.

If you believe that performers should be compensated whenever another business profits from their work, please send a message directly to your legislators in Washington. Please visit: http://www.grammy.com/musicfirst to learn more about this issue and make your voice heard.

Sincerely,

Michele Rhea Caplinger
Sr. Executive Director

Tired of getting the blues when food gets stuck between your teeth?

Dear Readers,

Sorry for the lack of posts; I’m swamped again with Mom still in ICU and contract deadlines looming with the upcoming arts council season.

You’ve heard of Jemsite, no doubt;  the cool blog about the Ibanez JEM series guitars?  I was lucky enough to be at that Winter NAMM show when Ibanez unveiled Steve Vai and his new guitar atop a 20 ft white column in the middle of the exhibit area.  Well, they asked me for an interview a while back and yesterday I obliged.  You can check it out here:

http://www.jemsite.com/blog

Maybe things will settle down soon and I’ll be able to write more.  I do have a cool update on the GLM microphones that audiogeekzine told us about a few months ago.  Very impressive!

Well, I’d better go;  – what’s the line?   “…and miles to go before I sleep…”

Peace,

J

Ashlie Conway sent me this:

I guess it’s probably too late for the Anti-theft CD case.

Just a little inspiration for me to make it to the weekend. Or to start a band called “Thirst-n-Howl”. Anyway, my apologies for the lack of posts; my mother is in the local hospital ICU with pneumonia. We all have our fingers crossed, but everyone is doing all they can. Sometimes things pile up and you have to neglect your responsibilities (like writing “Thank You” cards and getting them in the mail)!

There’s lots of potential for irony here, but I assure you all that I’m in a fairly happy mood. Worried, but happy. And speaking of happy; -Happy Ash Wednesday!

According to some, tonight is the music industry’s most important annual event.  I’m not sure anymore.  Just because I belong to said group, it doesn’t mean that I agree that the old guard has ability to move and shake the audiences anymore.  Here are some play-by-play comments, in whatever order I remember them.  I apologize in advance for being overly critical to your favorite performers.  I didn’t nominate anyone this year, btw.  Too much going on.

1.  If I were Ms. Underwood’s banjo player, I’d be wondering who unplugged me.

2.  The Raconteurs were robbed.

3.  Taylor Swift’s microphone rocks really hard.  It blows Miley’s off the stage.  That Taylor 12 string is pretty cool, too.  Their backup band is playing offstage.  Why?  These folks are the real stars.

4.  Jennifer Hudson’s having sound problems.  Or is she overpowering that Shure microphone…

5.  Kid Rock’s songs seem more intelligent.  Or am I losing brain cells…

6.  Stevie Wonder brought his clavinet.  It’s too bad he didn’t leave the Jonas Brothers at home.

7.  Allison Krauss and Robert Plant are having a great night.  It’s funny, though, ’cause she’s always been a champion of independent artists/labels.

8.  I can’t believe the Katy Perry choreography.  It’s like a bad Veggie Tales nightmare.

9.  Blink 182 is getting back together?  Now that these guys are middle-aged, what kind of audience will turn out to hear songs about teen angst?  Or will they sing about the economy?  Can anyone really revive the 4 powerchord neopunk band?  I guess if Justin Timberlake still gets asked to sing, then anything’s possible.

10.  Adele beat out a bunch of tough competitors.  Way to go!  Now go buy yourself one of those microphones like Taylor Swift had.

11.  Radiohead is obviously getting a Yamaha marching brass and percussion endorsement.    Why do I think of Tom Waits everytime I see/hear their stuff?  I’m not sure that’s a flattering association.  Remember when Johnny Cash gave the finger to Nashville?  Deja vu.

12.  A pregnant M.I.A. plus the Rap (Rat) Pack?  This is an example of a collaboration that looked good on paper but didn’t live up to anyone’s expectations.

13.  Every performer get’s to play to the armwaving section.  This is obviously where the Recording Academy interns go during the Grammy awards.

14.  Neal Portnow is claiming that our new president is “on board” with recording academy interests, since he has two grammys himself.  I have doubts about the creation of a new “Secretary of the Arts” cabinet position based on the award given to the author of a spoken-word book.

15.  The Four Tops;  now this is the best performance so far and the “arms” section isn’t reacting to “Reach Out”.  Oh, the irony!  Those darned kids and their rock music….

16.  The Grammy sponsors are Oil of Olay and Target.  Where’s Walmart?

17.  There must be some monitor issues.  Neil Diamond would never wander pitchwise singing “Sweet Caroline”, even on an off-night.

16.  Back to the Beatle moment;  I believe that Sir Paul sang “I Saw Her Standing There” in the original key.  Should have taken that band on the run down about two whole steps….

17.  I just now remembered that Al Green duet with Justin Timberlake.  Al’s got a great voice.  Justin’s outmatched.

18.  Is this a Rap Tribute to New Orleans?  Somehow rap and Dixieland don’t mix that well.  If I became a rap star, would I have to chose an initial name or just add Lil’ in front?

19.  Jack Black wins the “Most Undersized Hat” award.  I guess the Rogaine isn’t working out.

20. It’s T’Bone Burnett’s guitar and an overmiked bass drum featuring Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.  How come Alison get’s a fan to blow her hair and Robert doesn’t get one?  This is a minimalist sound.

21.  Green Day gets to hand out the final Grammy?  Hmmm…  Alison Krauss and Robert Plant win.  And her microphone magically drops down 6 inches, making her look like a very tall person.  Why can’t they just raise the darned thing?  Didn’t Atlas have one of those hydraulic stands that won’t fall?

22. My wife thinks Stevie Wonder looks like the Predator from the “Governator” movie of the same name.

OK,  it’s a wrap.  Pink got robbed, BTW.  I forgot to add that.

Peace,

-J

On Saturday morning, January 31st, 2009, J.P. Jinright of Troy passed away at Troy Regional Medical Center.  He was born April 2nd, 1915 in Josie, Alabama and was a lifelong resident of Pike County.  He joined the army and served over five years in the South Pacific as an radio-aircraft detection operator during World War II.  He retired as chief of campus security at Troy University after many years of service.  He was an active member of Williams Memorial Presbyterian Church since its inception and was a faithful member of the Pike County Gideons.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joel, Irene (stepmother), and Jessie Brown Jinright (mother), and brothers Carl, Carroll, Howard and sister Valley Mae Barr.  He is survived by his wife, Ruth, and his son John Jinright, daughter-in-law, Penny, and their children, Jessica and Tessa, all of Troy.  Other living family members include his sister-in-law Ila Jinright and her sons in Phenix City, nieces Betty Powell, Elizabeth Dansby, Marie Vonfeldt, and Regina Hartzog and their families.  Nephews include: Buren Barr, Morris Barr, Adrian Barr, Pat Barr, Noah Jinright, and Ray Jinright.

Visitation will occur from 4 PM to 6 PM on Tuesday, February 3rd with a funeral service beginning at 6 PM in the Green Hills Chapel.  The Rev. Dave Kirby will officiate.

BTW, Calling birds = “Colly birds” or blackbirds to the British.

This post results from my quizzical reaction to last Sunday’s church bulletin at the Catholic church where I’m organist.  They printed this factoid about how the English church persecuted those adhering to Catholicism  and that the 12 Days of Christmas was penned as a result of the need for a secret code to teach the basic tenets to young Catholics.  A little research produced this:

From the BBC, UK website

The story of the Twelve Days of Christmas

The Twelve Days of Christmas

The Twelve Days of Christmas is different from other Christmas carols, because it doesn’t seem to have a religious theme and it doesn’t deal with the Nativity.

Origin

The most likely origin of the carol is in a memory game played on Twelfth Night many years ago.

The players would sing a verse in turn and each player would add a new gift when it came to their own verse – the catch was that they had to remember the all the earlier gifts as they sang their way through the list of presents. Anyone who forgot a gift would have to pay a forfeit to entertain everyone else.

That’s the story given by The New Oxford Book of Carols, which records that the version we sing nowadays was printed in 1864, although other versions appeared earlier.

The book goes on to point out that some people have tried to find religious images in this carol – suggesting, for example, that the partridge is a symbol of the devil. There’s also a folk belief that if a girl walks backwards towards a pear tree and then round it three times she will see an image of the man she’s going to marry.

But there’s another story about this carol that gives it much greater religious significance. It’s most unlikely to be true, but it illustrates the way in which a popular song can be reworked as a hymn or carol.

The legend

This ‘urban legend’ says that the song was written at a time when Roman Catholic worship was illegal in England and Catholics had to find covert ways of communicating their faith.

The Twelve Days of Christmas, the story goes, was written to contain the basic beliefs of Catholicism, masked in secular words.

A partridge in a pear tree. Said to symbolise Jesus Christ, a mother partridge protecting her nestlings (Jesus’s followers).Two turtle doves. The Old and the New Testaments.Three French hens. The Christian virtues of faith, hope and charity.Four calling/colly birds. The four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.Five gold rings. The first five books of the Old Testament telling the story of man’s fall from grace.Six geese a laying. The six days of creation.Seven swans a-swimming. The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.Eight maids a-milking. The eight Beatitudes.Nine ladies dancing. The nine fruits of the Holy Spirit.Ten lords a-leaping. The Ten Commandments.Eleven pipers piping. The eleven faithful disciples.Twelve drummers drumming. The twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.

Some of the concepts said to be symbolised by each gift vary between versions.

The real story

There’s no evidence to suggest that the carol was written as a covert catechism – and since there’s nothing particularly Roman Catholic in the concepts it contains there would have been no point in doing so, since the beliefs it’s said to refer to could have been openly taught.

Perhaps the idea that the song was religious was inspired by number carols like The Seven Joys of Mary or The New Dial, a song that uses the hours of the clock to relate Christian concepts. Another folk song, Green Grow the Rushes-O, is closely related to The New Dial and it is full of hidden religious references which the writer Erik Routley has listed in his book The English Carol.

But, legend or not, if anyone wants a song to teach a few basic Christian beliefs and test their memory, The Twelve Days of Christmas would seem to fit the bill nicely.

On the (first) day of Christmas my true love sent to me A partridge in a pear tree

Repeat adding one of these lines each time

Two turtle doves Three french hens Four colly birds Five gold rings Six geese a-laying Seven swans a-swimming Eight maids a-milking Nine ladies dancing Ten lords a-leaping Eleven pipers piping Twelve drummers drumming

ending with

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me Twelve drummers drumming Eleven pipers piping Ten lords a-leaping Nine ladies dancing Eight maids a-milking Seven swans a-swimming Six geese a-laying Five gold rings Four colly birds Three french hens Two turtle doves and A partridge in a pear tree

Additional source heres- http://www.claudemariottini.com/blog/2008/12/twelve-days-of-christmas-again.html

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/music/12days.asp

Also from snopes:

On the 12th day of Christmas,

My tulip sent to me:

/…/

Ten Lawyers leaving,

Nine lazy Hansons,

/…/

Seven warts on women,

Six geezers laying,

/ … /

And a Cartridge in a Pantry.

*Warning – this post is not about anything musical.

Yesterday Dad received his second unit of whole blood.  He should have gotten it the day before but the ICU needed all the blood warmers and they took his after the previous night’s treatment.  I took Mom to see him and we stayed throughout the morning.  Dad seemed perkier and could answer questions and joke with the nurses a bit but he’s still very weak and can’t stand on his own.  He didn’t get much quality rest;  I think that’s probably true in most hospitals.  Blood pressure is still weak but improving.

Today I carried Mom back and we spent the morning there.  Dad’s doctor stayed in surgery and I didn’t get to see him.  I took her home and fed her and ran a couple of errands.  Before I arrived home, I got a call from the rehabilitation facility asking me to come in and sign their paperwork.  They told me Dad was being released this afternoon. That was news to me!  I really felt like a couple more days in the hospital would have helped because his caloric intake was improving daily and I worried that the staff at the new place would not be so diligent at shoveling food at him.

When I arrived at the hospital, his discharge papers were ready and he was sitting up in a chair.  We had to have help to get him into my car because he couldn’t maintain his balance.  The nurses checked him in at the rehab facility and I discovered that he would have a roommate;  big surprise!  There were no private rooms available and this guy was fond of keeping his TV on 24-7.  Hopefully, another room will open on Friday and Dad can get some peace and quiet.  He took it all in stride and I could tell that although he was uncomfortable, he was doing his best to respond to us all.

I explained to him that this new place was temporary and if he didn’t keep improving, I would bring him home to stay with Mom.  This means finding round-the-clock nursing care and a couple of the hospital nurses had already slipped me their phone numbers in case I’d like them to do some sitting.  It seems that nurses here work 12 hour shifts on their choice of 3 or 4 days a week and many add a couple of nights of sitting to suppliment their incomes.

A slight complication occurred Monday night;  one of the nurses reported that Dad’s dentures had been broken.  The jury is still out on how that happened, but without his teeth, we’ve had to put him on a pureed food diet.  I’ll try to get them repaired tomorrow, but the dentist I visited Tuesday said that Dad would have to be in his office for the repairs.  That’s not possible right now, so I’ll be seeking a second opinion on the repairs.

Everyone keeps asking me what my plans are for Dad and Mom and I just keep telling them to “wait and see”.  It all depends on how Dad responds to therapy. I’ll be staying with Mom tonight.  My wife will be investigating building another room onto our house so that they can live with us.  I have a real helpless feeling;  Dad’s recovery is basically in the hands of the facility staff and his own appetite/will.  All I can do is encourage him.  And pray.

For Stiff at http://www.protoolerblog.com: Throatsinging 101.

I don’t know who this guy is, but if you survive to the end, you have a pretty decent impression of how it’s done. This video doesn’t get good until almost 3 minutes in. There is no nudity, so don’t let him freak you out (at 3:50 to 4 minutes)! At 5 minutes in, you’ll be glad you stayed tuned-in.

(Source)

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is facing a challenge from a Harvard University law professor who is defending a graduate student from charges of illegal downloading and filesharing. The RIAA is seeking $12000 in damages from the student. Essentially, the professor seeks to challenge the Digital Copyright Improvement Act of 1999, which gives the RIAA the authority to enforce the act.  Professor Charles Nesson will argue that the act is unconstitutional, since it gives a private non-governmental body (i.e. the RIAA) the right to enforce criminal law.  I guess he’s never seen an episode of “Bounty Hunter”.  The trial is set for Dec. 1, 2008.

(image from WiretotheEar.com)

Rap has traveled a long way from its roots.  Here’s an example:

Please tell me why this is video is humorous (assuming you find it funny).  Is it because:

a)  we don’t associate rap with physics

b)  everyone in the clip is nerdy and it’s basically a parody of the real paradigm

c) Rap is to culture as the Large Hadron Collider is to Religious Studies.

d) Everything Stephen Hawking says is funny.

A few weeks back, I entered a contest over at GuitarFlame.com .  I usually don’t win at drawings, raffles, etc., so I was pleasantly surprised to learn I was a winner.  Willie Nelson is 75 and 1/2 years old (I think) and this box set was released this year to commemorate his many decades of performing and songwriting.  What immediately struck me was:

1.  The wide range of styles. He even had a Django Reinhardt tune on there!

2.  Guest artists.  You can’t beat Ray Charles!

3.  The changes in Willie’s guitar tone over the years.

4.  The average tempo.  Most of Willies’ tunes are Andante.  Makes you listen to the words.

5. The opening track (earliest recording) and the closing track (latest recording) are of the same song.  Kind of a song cycle.

6.  The changes in Willie’s appearance over the years.  He kinda looked like Roy Orbison w/o glasses early on.

I’m still playing with the remote and sampling, but I can tell that this is a really good collection and I’ll be sharing some thoughts about the production quality with my audio students.  Many thanks to Ovidiu and the folks at Sony for this fine box set!   

There’s something about the total mixing strategy of artists like Pink and Joe Bonnamasa that totally capture the “techie” side of my brain.

Link = http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid18617176/bclid18584623/bctid1755337986

Pat Metheny can play guitar. Much of his music always struck me as “melody jazz”…

Gary Burton, the “godfather” of 4 mallet vibe technique, joins Pat Metheny, the Yanni of jazz guitar, in this clip from a tv appearance:

See what those 4 mallets can do!?! What if Pat’s approach to soloing had been more harmonic & contrapuntal, like Gary’s? Here’s some solo Burton:

Answer: = Then he’d be Joe Pass!

I’m not going to tell you who to vote for; –you’re on your own. In my checkered political past(college years, actually), I campaigned for ballot access for the Libertarian Party Candidate for govenor, so there’s nothing I could say that could possibly repair my loss of political credibility.

Both candidates still have to make it past Halloween. To me, this is the true test of politcal savvy. Below is a terrific article by Howard Mortman that I dug up while researching skeleton one-liners for my wife (long story). The original source is the Examiner.

Halloween is fast approaching, and every four years that means one frightening thing: some of the worst metaphors and similes and one-liners you’ll ever hear on the presidential campaign trail. It is, to mimic the worst of the rhetoric, scary like Halloween out there.

This year, let’s do something about it. Let’s resolve to shame our presidential and vice-presidential candidates into pledging no Halloween-themed rhetoric. How will we do that? Simple: With sunshine, the best disinfectant. Every time a candidate uses Halloween-based language we will say, no mas. Never again.

We begin this effort today by exposing the 19 worst Halloween-based one-liners in recent presidential campaign history. They’re listed in ascending order, meaning the number spot is the most repugnant. But they’re all quite horrible. Or, as the TelePrompTer might say, horror-ble.

19. Walter Mondale, 1984: “You’ve got four more days, is what you’ve got. … Somebody better tell them Halloween is over.”

18. George W. Bush, 2000: “We got rid of Halloween, but he’s [Gore] trying to scare the seniors at the voting booth. Not this time, and not this year.”

17. Dan Quayle, 1988: “He’s [Dukakis] taken off his Halloween mask.”

16. Walter Mondale, 1980: “He’s [Reagan] put on a whole variety of exciting new costumes, changing his mask every day,We’re going to take his mask off. And unlike the Halloween masks tonight, when that one’s off it’s scary.”

15. Michael Dukakis, 1988: “Give the people at the top the money and hope that a few crumbs fall off the table for the rest of us. It’s Halloween come early — a treat for the wealthiest 1 percent and a trick for the rest of us.”

14. George Bush, 1992: “You want to go the Clinton route, every day will seem like Halloween.”

13. Bob Dole, 1996: “All the kids are dressing up and doing scary things – that’s the way it is in the White House every day.”

12. George W. Bush, 2000: “Now, I know Halloween just ended, but there’s some scare tactics still going on in American politics.”

11. George H.W. Bush, 1984: ‘’It’s Halloween night and what our opponents have to offer is, I admit, very scary. Walter Mondale wants to raise taxes higher and higher and higher and higher. Walter Mondale’s favorite game is to play trick or trick.’’10. John Anderson, 1980: ‘’The specter of Ronald Reagan becoming President is not just something I conjured up on Halloween.’’

9. Geraldine Ferraro, 1984: “Throughout this campaign, he [Reagan] has disguised himself as a believer in arms control and a friend of the great Democratic leaders of the past, John Kennedy and Harry Truman. Now I know it’s almost Halloween, but anyone can see through that disguise.”

8. George H. W. Bush, 1992: “[if Clinton was elected] every day is going to be Halloween – fright and terror.”

7. John Kerry, 2004: “It’s Halloween. In the Bush-Cheney administration, that means tricks for the American people and treats for Halliburton.”

6. Al Gore, 1996: “No longer should we allow the House of Representatives to be a haunted House of Representatives led by Speaker Newt Gingrich. With your help, Texas can restore the control of the people’s House to the Democrats, the people’s party.”

5. Michael Dukakis, 1988: “It’s Halloween tonight. Mr. Bush is going to try and pass himself off as an environmentalist. No treat for us. That’s the biggest trick in the book, isn’t it?”

4. George H.W. Bush 1992: “Today is Halloween, our opponents’ favorite holiday. The only way that they can win is to literally scare America.”

3. Bill Clinton, 1992: “It’s Halloween. And when you talk about about crazy and scared, I’ll tell you, I think it’s crazy and scary to think about four more years of lost jobs, lost incomes, 100,000 people a month losing their health insurance, one in 10 Americans on food stamps, and not competing and winning in the global economy.”

2. Bob Dole, 1996: “Take off the mask. It’s not Halloween. Take off the mask! The economy is not good.”

1. Walter Mondale, 1984: “Today is Halloween and think what a Republican Halloween will be like. When you open the door and hear them shout tricks or treats, remember they’re describing the Republican tax plan. Treats for the very wealthy and big corporations and tricks for everyone else.’’

So join the crusade. Stamp out Halloween rhetoric. Let’s finally hold our politicians accountable. Boo!

Clearly, there can be no easier formula than to repackage 2 great classics and market the result to the public.  Ladies and Gentlemen,  I give you:
Much Adoobie Brothers About Nothing – Long Train Runnin’

The culprit is Troubadour Theater company:

In recent years the Troubies have put their spin on all genres of classic tales, notably It’s a Stevie Wonderful Life, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Motown and Alice in One Hit Wonderland.

If they’re ever in your town, you should check out their “Fleetwood MacBeth”, “As U2 Like It” and “Christmas Carol King.”

The information for this post is taken from a seminar presented at the 2008 Performing Arts Exchange in Atlanta.

From 2007 report on philanthropic giving:  Total Gifts=  306.39 Billion dollars.

74.8%  came from individuals

7.6% came from bequests

12.6% came from foundations

5.1% came from corporations

Uses of contributions:

Religion 33.4%

Education 14.1%

Health 7.6%

Human Services 9.7%

Arts/Culture 4.5%

Public Society 7.4%

Environment 2.3%

International Affairs 4.3%

Gifts to foundations 9.1%

Unallocated 7.7%

Top 5 reasons people give:

1. they are asked.

2. compassion for those in need.

3. personally believe in the cause.

4. affected by the cause.

5. give back to their community.

Interesting things to know based on research:

Donors should be offered an opportunity to participate in the organization in exchange for their financial support.

Involved people give more over time.  (source – Lord)

Summary:

Considering the current financial instability within the US, it is crucial that your donors feel connected.  The key term for this financial period is “value-added”.  Do things that make your audiences feel like you are giving them something more.  Make your donors feel special.  Involve them as volunteers and allow your audience to volunteer without initially becoming donors.  Treat each person as important and get their email/contact info so that your promotions can be “targeted” rather than mass-media.

These performers were featured Georgia Artists at the opening showcase at the Performing Arts Exchange 2008 in Atlanta: (after the page jump)

Read the rest of this entry »

Hot tips from the afternoon session:

1.  Make connections w/ community.  Package a local act with a headliner.  This gives attendees added value and connection.

2. Make donors feel special.

3.  Ask every artist to create a custom ad for market.

4.  Tickets must be sold online.  New research suggests that a certain 30-something class is emerging that is more likely to purchase tix if they’re available online (rather than in person or over phone).

5.  Give students breaks on tix and memberships.

6.  Use an artist’s street team.  Reward them.

Check out online Tix services like ticket turtle

Use social networks.  Have a myspace and a facebook page.  Give these people who join your circle special perks.  They are your new street team.

Big $$ sponsors – do something special every event and do it in front of other audience.  Even if it’s just a Godiva Chocolate on their reserved seat…

Here’s a 20 second word of advice to all you students in Dr. Blackstock’s percussion studio:

I was amazed at how easily he developed a rapport with the audience. That’s something we don’t usually teach in performance studies in our traditional schools of music. Check out this improv and how effortlessly he brings the audience into play:

Youth Ensemble of Atlanta – creating “issue-based musicals” Way more pics after the jump… Read the rest of this entry »

I spent some time checking on Dr. Pendry’s (UK) and Dr. Smith’s (USA) respective research on metamaterials and cloaking. There’s a real void of publication heading into this November’s MetaMaterials Convention in China. These guys have probably solved the audio cloaking puzzle months ago and are headed into exciting new developments focusing in on the visual spectra of enenrgy. Here’s one recent article’s example of what audio cloaking is all about:  (quote is from Prof. Harley Johnson, U of Illinois)

Take for example, a concert hall with a pillar that is undesirably deflecting sound and creating dead spots in the room. The cloaking device could cover up the pillar so that the sound waves could travel around it as if it wasn’t even there, Johnson said.

The cloaking device could also be used for sound-proofing. If a house is next to a busy street or a lot of noisy neighbors, the homeowner could encapsulate the house in a cloaking container to force all of the noise to flow around the house and not into it.

If pop music ever became classified as a weapon of mass destruction, you’d see crazy new audio technologies developed at a breakneck speed.  I always thought the fans were the real and present danger.  I guess the risk depends on the genre. 

        physicist                        physicist with cloaking device

From behind closed boardroom doors lurks an evil of unimaginable cunning.

(Warning! Satire ahead. If you view this, not only will you waste almost 5 minutes of your life, but you’ll never look at sausages or inflatable lawn furniture in the same way again.)

Pat Darnell makes his point with this family-friendly video; -Walmart IS Market Street defined. For more surreal wisdom from Pat’s point of view, visit http://moopigwisdom.blogspot.com . Market Street is available as an MP3 download at www.pribek.net (all rights reserved, Jack Pribek 2008). Download your own copy today and make your own Market Street video!

See anyone you know?  The wife and I met LoveRush a couple of years ago and they’re back for more this year.  http://www.myspace.com/loverushmusic

Things are looking different this year ’cause MEISA.ORG, SAE and the UGA Music Business program have signed on as sponsors.  I guess they’re looking towards the young crowd to make this thing keep happening.  Anyway, put on your training wheels and pedal on over to Atlanta. 

Early registration discounts are still available along with special offers for students, and members of the milliatry, NARAS, BMI, ASCAP, SESAC,  & NACA.

 

2008 ATLANTIS
PERFORMERS
1994
13 Stories
A New Effect
Act of Congress
All Get Out
Allison Weiss
Alter Ego
Amanda Williams
April Cover
Artella
Asher & Quick
Ben Deignan
Bizz
Blair Lott
Blue Flashing Light
Bone Crusher
Brian Collins
Brian Mazzaferri
Byron Zanos
Cash
Casper & The Cookies
Celebrity
Cheeba
Chimere
Chris McKay and the Critical Darlings
Chris Unck and the Black Roses
Christina Bell
Classic Addict
Clay Cook
Clayton Senne
Colourslide
Connor Christian and Southern Gothic
Daniel Lee
Dead To The World
Death On Two Wheels
Dirt Road Hotel
Dirty Water
Disarming the Sky
DJ Synthesis
Don DiLego
East End Lights
Eddie Tadross
Edison Project
Elli Perry
Emily Kate Boyd
ESME
Fervor
Filthy Rich
Flossa
Futureshock
Gem Avery
Gift Horse
GOLDEN
Gravity Burn
Greedy White Citizens
GreyMarket
Groovestain
Have Gun, Will Travel
Heavy Chevy
Helios
High Flight Society
Hightide Blues
Hollywood
Hot Lava Monster
Icarus
India Scandrick
It’s Elephant
Jackmove
Jaiden
JAMM
JayLee
Jennings
Jeremy Yurek
Jessica Urick
Jesus Aaron
Juliana Finch
Julie Crochetiere
Karrigan
Kayenne
Ken Will Morton
Kim DiVine
Kirk McMillan
Kumbined
Laura Reed
Le Castle Vania
Lee Harvey Oswald
leerone
Lejit
Levi Weaver
Life & Limb
LIQUOR BOXX
London
Love Rush
Lroy
Mark Gaignard and The Also Ran
Mark Mathis
Marwon
Melaphyre
Melissa Young
Missy Gossip and the Secret Keepers
Mitch Barrett
MoMo Family
Mothers Anthem
MURDOCKS
Myxx
NANYANA
Natalie Warner
Nobody Famous
O Brother
Ocean Is Theory
One Atom 12
Operiod
Overhead Ground
Owen Beverly
Parachute Musical
Part Bear
Passafire
Patrick David Koch
Pauline Pisano
Ponderosa
Priceless
Primary Colors
Punchline
Radio Reset
Ray Garrison
& the Media Says
Rebecca Loebe
Reed Waddle
Rick Brantley
Ricky Fontaine
Rockets To Ruin
Rova Zetella
Sadie Blu
Sadiiya Rock
Sarah Peacock
Sean Thomason
Senona
Sequoyah Prep School
Shirleena
Ski Club
Sol Junky
Sonia Leigh
Sorrows Child
SOSY
Stand Alone
State of Man
Stealing December
Steve Baskin
Sun Domingo
Sun Sets East
Sunni Stevens
Supreme
Thadd Williams
The Amend
The Awkward Romance
The Bastard Suns
The Beggars Guild
The Chris McCarty Band
The City Council
The Dirty Guv’nahs
The Empties
The Fabric
The Falcon Lords
The Future Kings of Nowhere
The Greater Vavoom
The Judies
The Julia Dream
The Modern Society
The Sammies
The Sixxis
The Status
The Tin Roof
The Unusual Suspects
Tx/Rx(transmit & receive)
Veronica Leigh
Wake of the Titan
Water Seed
World War
Young Blitz
Young Trimm
Zackary Kale

Song Fu Two is up and running and the songs for round one are posted. Take a listen and see if you’d someday feel up to the challenge of writing on demand and facing a strict deadline! This round’s challenge was:

Write a song about the moon. It must be at least 1 minute and 45 seconds long.

To hear the contestants’ entries, go here:

http://http://www.quickstopentertainment.com/2008/08/21/masters-of-song-fu-2-round-1-challenge-voting-begins/#

And, if you can’t make up your mind, at least vote for Paul and Storm (*howl*).

One of my former students is busy creating new musical theater works for the stage. Tommy Newman (www.tommynewman.com) came back to TROY last Friday for the regional premiere of a work he created with co-composer Mark Allen.
I have about 40 minutes of video I’m still sorting through, but here are a couple of clips to get us started:

Mr. Newman speaks on how to prepare for a career writing Broadway musicals while you’re still an undergraduate.

A sample of what it’s all about: singing the role of Aileen is Kristen Bowden Sharp of the Red Mountain Theatre Company. The song is “Maybe It’s the Sun” – Music by Mark Allen, Book by Tommy Newman (all rights reserved).

Themes, Moments and Timing – Tommy Newman and director Keith Cromwell speak more on the process of writing music for musical theater.

It’s early morning here and I just got through sharing a finger exercise on Ovidiu’s Guitarflame site.  It got me thinking about how my teaching is often at odds with my colleagues.

{”Colleagues?  What colleagues?  The only folks at my school that have any sense left about them are the students…”]

  Here’s a confession:  –my teacher taught me to question the “rules” and to make my own choices.  I haven’t found any reason to discard this approach, either.

Here’s a partial summation of the Leschetizsky “Method” found on Kevin Purrone’s site:

1. Good fingerings are easy fingerings
2. Fingerings must fit the size and stretch of the hands
3. Loud tones should be played by strong fingers when possible
4. Do not avoid the thumb and 5th fingers on black notes
5. Alternating fingers on repeated notes in a slow tempo is obsolete.

So why do we force students practice scale fingerings if at times the “correct” fingering is not the easiest fingering?

Answer – Scales are fundamental building blocks for tonal music.  They should not become an obsession and should be taken with a few grains of salt (preferably adhering to the rim of the glass). 

The same is true for suggested fingerings found in edited music books;  take them as a suggestion and not as a commandment.

I’d bet money that many thousands of students quit music because they’re forced to play boring stupid scale patterns on their instruments which, in the long run, don’t really matter.

It’s better to spend your time playing good music.  Fun music.  If you don’t have any fun music, then go out and get some.  Not that crap that your teacher wants you to play;  if you don’t like their music (assignments), hand it back and say “give me some good music”.  Remember, the customer is always right.

Actually, I wish the customer was always right.  Because then maybe music educators would get a clue and stop doing things just because someone told them that it was “pedagogically correct” or is part of some God-forsaken “age-appropriate scope and sequence.”  It really chafes my donkey that we don’t spend every lesson helping students learn to not need us anymore.   And students are different;  what is appropriate/necessary/fun for one is not necessarily good for another student.   Technique is not the goal;  – expression is the goal.  The correct technique should be easy and should never become the most important goal in the lesson.

I’ve put in a lot of hours (musically speaking) over the years, but I rarely ever practiced.  Instead, I played.

I played.

Get it?

”Played percussively, the piano is a bore. If I go to a concert and someone plays like that I have two choices: go home or go to sleep. The goal is to make the piano sing, sing, sing.”

                                                  V.Horowitz

 

 

9:30 AM -  Took nephew to Vacation Bible School (the indoctrination starts way too early in the AM for kids). Poor little guy could have used a cup of coffee!

9:45 AM – Passed by the studio and the band wasn’t there, so I headed to the office to send a FAX. Since I had my camera, I took a pic of part of my guitar rig (guitar is still in the shop waiting for a custom replacement neck pickup). Many months ago Mr. Pribek asked us to send him pics of our guitar rigs. You see how far behind I am!

10:15 AM -Got back to the studio and found the band outside. Why do so many musicians smoke? These guys should be posterboys for Phillip Morris USA.

11:10 AM – Went and got pizza and snacks for the band. They got started a little late, but tracked their newest song before noon.
 

Noon – It’s a great day to make a record.

1:30 PM – This is the way the old abandoned Troy High School looked a couple of days ago.
And this is the way it looks today. It’s a shame that folks stopped taking care of it; I went to 5th grade at that school. But it’s all a part of a circle of life, right? A time to tear down vs. a time to build up. Still, it’s sad to see it go.

3:45 PM – Back home and trying to upload image files using this blasted flash interface w/ edublogs. You’d think a bunch of teacher-technology types could get the bugs ironed out so I wouldn’t have to keep resorting to HTML code. I’m heading back to the studio in a moment; –perhaps there’s more to come…

It sometimes takes a master like Tom Waits to shed light on the spiritual qualities of booking tours.  I guess it wasn’t in the stars for Tom to book a show for Alabama (or, perhaps “Stars fell on Alabama” for Tom). 
Link= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOrG1r3S6ZA

I’ve neglected posting due to huge demands on my time by a 100 year old house formerly occupied by my parents that’s going on the market.  This coming week, I’ll be reporting from Uncle Charles’ studio on the album underway there.  I also said “yes” to help a fellow teacher record an audiobook.  Simple setup but LONG session there.  Hopefully, we’ll have that finished and off to market before school starts.  The new Richard Stoltzman chamber music cd has been released and those of you in Troy can pick up your copy at the university bookstore.  It features liner notes by Yours Truly.  If that’s not enough to make you like classical clarinet music, then catch the composer, Dr. Carl Vollrath, on one of his grocery walks and make him sign a copy;  I promise it will be worth more than you paid for it someday because he is the postmodern reincarnation of Chopin.  And he’s gonna live a whole lot longer than Chopin because his girlfriend doesn’t smoke cigars and dress in men’s clothing.

My sister-in-law and her son have moved in with us and life is good with 3 1/2 bathrooms.   With 3 women in the house now, you can never have too many bathrooms. 

Last Sunday at church, I finished the last hymn and the fireworks started.  At least, that’s what it sounded like.   It seems that the folks who spliced in some extra line outs in front of the two power amps in the digital organ didn’t realize that years of oxidation at the contact points would someday mean that Sunday services would be interrupted by the sounds of artillery fire.  The priest literally yelled “No guns in church!!” which managed to get a chuckled from the folks who weren’t already hunkered down behind a pew.  When I flipped the power switch, the explosions stopped and I led the rest of the music a cappella (a treat).  In hindsight, we should have just left it on and began an “Altar Call.”

Not many digital organ repairmen are left nowadays, and we were lucky to get one who came Tuesday from Birmingham (3 hours away) who discovered the problem immediately and also fixed the squeaky G pedal (Thanks, Jim).  The repairman used to run sound for Showco and was FOH man for Santana, among others.  He said his life as a roadie lasted 3 years until he burned out, but his memories are still priceless.  His helper was an organist from Montgomery who is an AGO member (American Guild of Organists).  If I had time, I would like to join that little fraternity!

I’m headed to Jacksonville, FL to visit an intern next week and hopefully, I’ll remember to take my camera and post some studio pics. 

The new Me First and the Gimmie-Gimmies cd is out;  –dang good driving music!  I’ll also take the new Victor Wooten and Joe Bonnamassa cds.  I also picked up a Los Lonely Boys cd, but that hasn’t made its way back into the player;  –I should probably give it another chance, too.

So that’s the news from the ”old gum” (my grandfather’s term for his home).  Keep your ears clean and turn that music down!

Peace,

J   

A challenge no serious songwriter could resist:

Each Master is tasked with writing a song in the style of their opponent. The Masters will be judged on how accurately they write a song in their opponent’s style without it becoming a simple parody. When listening to their entries, you must genuinely believe that they were written by the original Master. Got that?

So hop on over an listen to the MASTER’s Level Round #2 entries, decide which of the two songs you like, then vote for Paul and Storm.  Just because.

http://www.quickstopentertainment.com/2008/07/02/masters-of-song-fu-1-round-2-challenge-voting-begins/

An amateur archaeologist, Roberto Velazquez, has discovered the sound of Aztec musical instruments used in ancient sacrificial rites.  Until recently, the archaeological community had dismissed these pottery pieces as children’s toys, but according to Velazquez, they seem to have played a very important role in the ritual life of the Aztec peoples.  Some of the whistle-like instruments sound like a banshee, others like frogs and jaguars.  Still others have specific pitches and can play melodies. 

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/06/30/pre-columbiansounds.ap/index.html#cnnSTCOther1

**if the link gives you an error, try hitting “refresh”  **

The “death whistle” sounds to me a lot like the flute section on the first day of beginning band class.

My former student Patrick Hobbie’s band For The Birds will be in the studio in 2 weeks and I”m excited.  I plan to take some video footage for sychronicity live and perhaps even do a little music video for them.  Patrick and his friend Bobby Hill are a great songwriting team and I enjoy their creativity and love for innovation.  If you do the myspace thing, you should check ‘em out and tell ‘em I sent you.

http://www.myspace.com/enjoyforthebirds

 Their engineer is the incredibly multi-talented Charles Davis, the best in our region.  Uncle Charles has been very busy producing, playing (a MONSTA guitar player and drummer!) and composing in a new studio I’ve been helping facilitate.  He recently recorded, mixed and produced his father’s latest gospel album and it’s unbelievably good (I heard some tracks in the studio).  When I can get my hands on a copy, I will share a snippet.  Charles is also a “Beatmaster” (’cause it pays) and you can check out some of his rap songs at:

http://www.myspace.com/unkcharlez  

http://www.bonnaroo.com/

This is a poor screenshot of the background.  You can see it more clearly if you visit the site.

 I think some former Disney animators must be doing graphic design for Bonnaroo.

Does anyone else see something wrong with this background?

Well,  I seem to have recurring blog problems due to a software upgrade at Edublogs.   Will be on the beach this weekend and next week, but will try to post if Edublogs ever lets me log in again.

Hey guys,   –  I will be back…don’t give up on me!

Sorry for the lack of posts;  –I’m in the middle of moving my parents to a new home that’s 3 doors down from mine.  It’s a bit crazy this week, but hopefully this will decrease the time spent driving to their house twice a day to give them their medicine and check on supplies, housekeeping, etc…  If I get a chance, I’ll post pics of their new home.  A big thanks goes out to my students, Bill, Tom, and Nathan, for all their help in fence building, painting, and moving furniture.

I never thought I would ever forget my father’s birthday.  We’ve really become very close since Mom’s stroke and Alzheimer’s onset.  And I was wondering just last week what I needed to get him.  I didn’t expect my memory to fail me.  Especially not on  his 94th birthday.  You see, I visit twice a day to give Mom her medicines and he mentioned this evening all the wonderful phone calls relatives made.  

It’s clear how all the job-related hassles, deadlines and responsibilities mean so very little in the long run.  Birthday’s are important.  Very important.  Happy Birthday, Dad.  Belated celebratory plans are being made as I write…

UPDATE!   Dad received cake and ice cream at 5 PM CST along with a generous stash of cookies and some hanging baskets I found at the gardening center.  Mom subsequently forgot that she had forgotten his birthday yesterday too, but neglected to remember what she’d gotten him (or thought she had gotten him).

My wife and I stumbled on this injured dog at my parents home.  My father said this dog had been hanging around for a couple of weeks.  His tags had been removed and it appeared he had been hit by a car.  So we loaded him up and carried him to the veternarian and got him checked out and treated for his wound.  The vet estimates his age at 9 months.  No one we asked other than my dad had seen this dog before, so I called the local radio station and placed a “found dog” ad.  He’s certainly making himself at home.

  Anyone lose a dog out there?

Sorry about the lack of posting;  I took on a gig as asst. music director for the university’s production of Urinetown and I’ve been spending long hours in rehearsals.  What is Urinetown?  I know you’re dying to know…

It’s a comedy-musical inspired by a pennyless traveling student who encountered a pay-toilet during a visit to Europe.  Obviously it made a lasting impression on him!   He developed this vision of a futuristic society where water is scarce and everyone has to pay to pee.  He teamed up with a writer and Urinetown was born.

 Hey!  I didn’t pick it…I’m just the piano player (and a temporary one at that).

Sample friend twitter names to shizzle:

paulandstorm

jonathancoulton

 Here's a vid of a band member from Switchfoot passing out from the flu while onstage.  I know this feeling very well;  Since this flu grabbed me Friday, I've passed out twice during my Sunday organist gig and then once during the afternoon rehearsal for the university's musical.  Last night I passed out while Tessa was waiting at Taco Bell for her fast food order.  It's really creepy not being in control of one's own body...kinda like an out-of-body experience.  One minute I was playing, the next minute I'm surrounded by people asking me if I'm OK.  Anybody got any really good cures for this crud?

First of all, he’ll have to pick a rap name, but Bill Cosby is reportedly working on a new rap album dealing with issues such as crime, parenting, drug abuse and teen pregnancy.  (AllHipHop.com) .   Judging from the comments on this rumor, the hiphop community is not taking it very seriously.  Entertainment Weekly’s PopWatch Blog says:

Cosby’s drawn a healthy amount of criticism for what some call overly broad, reactionary attacks on a younger generation’s culture. What could he possibly do with a mic, other than embarrass himself?

I’m actually hoping it will be great.  You go, Bill!

 In yesterday’s post, I referenced this speech but had only seen bits posted on blogs.  This is good stuff and I saw a great post on the Womb boards where they are comparing ISP enforcement to the same responsibility we see enforced by the postal mail.

Find the Full Text here:  (womb boards)

Are your coworkers cool enough to help you make a video?  Check out this!  Thanks Listenerd & Pop Candy.  I predict this will become the next big fad!

How many ways can you play a guitar?  (Thanks, GuitarFlame).

Find a strange music video you like from a band you’ve never heard of.  (Thanks Killed by the Video Star).

Read the rest of this entry »

It’s Friday.   I’m in a frustrated mood due to Digidesign test administration issues.   Here’s a guitar.

Charles Dye Myspace
harddisklife
turnmeup
monitoring for success
Project Studio Podcast Network
URS plugins
A studio being built from scratch.
realtraps room treatment
RPGinc.

Thanks to Listenerd for making my day!

 What am I supposed to make of this?  If I were David Bowie, I’d be upset. Trent Reznor sent me this email about a new project that circumvents the record labels in a Radiohead-like move.  You can give your email and download the album at high-quality file rates next week or give your email and download it for free in lower quality file rates.  In either case, there is no middleman (something they’re obviously very proud of) and the track I heard on his myspace page sounds very NIN (I’ll leave it for you to decide if you like it…).

Read the rest of this entry »

From the RIAA website:

In the ninth wave of this initiative, the RIAA this week sent letters in the following quantities to 19 schools including: Drexel University (17 pre-litigation settlement letters), Indiana University (23), Northern Illinois University (25), Occidental College (19), State University of New York at Morrisville (18), Texas Christian University (20), Tufts University (15), University of Alabama (14), University of California, Berkeley (19), University of Delaware (18), University of Georgia (13), University of Iowa (18), University of Michigan – Ann Arbor (20), University of Nebraska-Lincoln (13), University of New Hampshire (30), University of New Mexico (17), University of South Florida (43), University of Southern California (37) and Vanderbilt University (32).

 I spent a few moments on the phone recently with John Wanzung of Mytracks.com;  their site partners with musicians to allow unlimited listens to new and emerging artists with social networking features customized for each university campus.  This means students have access to free and legal music;  -and unlimited streaming.  Mytracks charges for downloads, but it’s a monthly or annual fee and unlimited downloads.  All perfectly legal!

 Schools need to educate students that you can’t take other people’s songs without paying for them. 

To Be A Teacher 

 If you want to be a teacher, you first have to learn how to play hopscotch, learn other children games, learn how to watch a snail crawl, read “Yertle the Turtle”, and watch “Bullwinkle”. If you want to be a teacher, you have to blow “she loves me, she loves me nots” with a dandilion or pull the indiviudal petals of a daisy, wiggle your toes in the mud and let it ooze through them, stomp in rain puddles, and be humbled by the majesty of a mountain. If you want to be a teacher, you have to fall in love each day. If you want to be a teacher, you have to paddle a canoe, take a hike, or just get out. If you want to be a teacher, you have to fly a kite or throw a frisbee, make sandcastles, love people, and listen intently to the rustle of the leaves or the murmur of the brook or the whisper of the breeze. If you want to be a teacher, you have to dream dreams, play games, talk to the flowers, catch fire flies, admire a weed, walk barefoot in the rain, hold a worm, and see what is yet to be. If you want to be a teacher, you have to think silly thoughts, have a watergun fight, have a pillow fight, swirl a tootsie pop in your mouth, burn sparklers at night, and see in a tree more than a mass of atoms or so many board feet of lumber or something that’s in the way. If you want to be a teacher, you have to skip as you walk, laugh at yourself, smile at others, hang loose, always have an eraser handy, concoct an original recipe, and inspire. If you want to be a teacher, you have to fix a bird’s broken wing, tweek the neck of a deflating baloon, to zany things, play with a yo-yo, and lose yourself in the quiet scenery to find yourself. If you want to be a teacher, you have to feed the pigeons or squirrels, sing in the shower or tub, smell the flowers, watch a spider spin it’s web, play with finger paints, and do a belly flob in a pool. If you want to be a teacher, you have to bring joy into everything, watch in awe a sunset or sunrise, ride on a swing, slide down a slide, bump on a seesaw, and respect even a cockroach as a miracle of life. If you want to be a teacher, you have to ride a bicycle or roller skate or ice skate, and live today. If you want to be a teacher, make all those marvelous feelings and images an intimate part of you and bring them into the classroom with you and share them. If you want to be a teacher, as you have to put aside your formal theories and intellectual constructs and axioms and statistics and charts when you reach out to touch that miracle called the individual human being.

Copyright 1994,  Louis Schmier

I’ve spent 5 minutes trying to find something good on Hypemachine. 

 I’m beginning to think the thing is broken….

 or that nobody recognizes quality anymore…

 or that trained engineers have left the building…

If any of my students are out there reading this,  I’ll add 10 points to a major test grade if you can shoot me an email that critiques 3 of the tracks of lesser-known bands heard on Hypemachine.  Please include a link to the mp3 file so I can follow up on your critique.  Put “10 Extra Credit Points” in your subject line.

j

It seems that today is the day all bloggers take a moment to reflect on our fragile world ecology.  I’m using my moment to honor the most musical tree in the world;  the stately Mpingo tree.  A lack of concern in Tanzania has brought this important species to near extinction.  For more information and to learn how you can help, visit the African Blackwood Conservation Program website.

I’ve been a party to some ghost hunts in the past and count myself pretty much a skeptic.  These past 2 days I took the wife and kids to Mobile to take advantage of the fall break and to try to do a little shopping.   We spent the night at a hotel that was built in 1852 (and I heard rapping all night) and the next day rode down to Dauphin Island to show the girls Ft. Gaines.  I’d not been there since my childhood.  After an hour of climbing around and picture taking we headed home and I unloaded my pics from my camera.  Out of several dozen normal digital snapshots, here’s the one unknown glare on the bottom r.h. corner of the sign.  It’s to the left of the doorway.  No flash was being used.  More pics are on my wife’s site…

Folks, if you’ve never tried to remix something, please don’t start here!  When I heard the original track…I thought “you’ve got to be kidding!”   It’s solid proof that French music and jazz destroys brain cells.

http://www.acidplanet.com/testshotstarfish

It’s truly a joy to see natural musical talent with quality material connecting the past with the future…