Have you ever heard Andreas Vollenweider play the harp? He's a notably innovative musician who I have followed for two decades.
Last night I listened to his awesome 2020 album, "Quiet Places." Here's a sample:
Just now, I'm listening to his Sept 2020 home concert. If you'd like to hear some extraordinary harp music, check it out.
Is it possible to work up a sweat playing the piano? Definitely, if you are Oscar Peterson, because your fingers and your brain run several times faster than those of ordinary mortals. I love the expressions of Niels Pedersen and Barney Kessel (amazing musicians too) as they admire Oscar's dazzling solos. Ever since I fell in love with jazz, as a teenager, I've been carried away by Oscar Peterson's music and his story. What an amazing career he had . . .
Oscar played beautiful ballads too. Here he is in 2004, three years before his death, well after a 1993 stroke that severely compromised the use of his left hand. He was a stunningly good jazz player and composer, even with 1 1/2 hands at the age of 79.
One more thing. Neils Ørsted Pedersen died of heart failure in 2005 at the age of 58 in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was survived by his wife, Solveig, and his three children. Oscar Peterson wrote the following, which will tell you as much about Oscar Peterson as it will about Pederson:
After hearing this phenomenal talent on bass, I realized that somehow, someday we should meet, thereby giving me the opportunity to also play with him. This vision and thought took place in the early 1970s, when I was fortunate enough to be able to invite him to join my then trio.Allow me to express my reaction to his playing this way: First and foremost, he never got in my way--but he also had such a great musical perception of what I was trying to do that he served to greatly inspire me from a spontaneous aspect. I came off walking on Cloud 3000 that evening because of Niels' musical contribution. He had the most phenomenal technique, coupled with incredible harmonic perception, along with impeccable time. I shall never forget that evening.
Almost from that evening on, we became very close friends, not just musically but most certainly personally, for I developed a great admiration for the depth of Niels' political, geographical and personal understandings. He was a man who had an almost unbelievable wealth of historic cognizance pertaining to European history. He also had a very kindred spirit as a human being, always able to easily make good friends, should he care to do so.
I'm working on a long legal brief tonight, third day in a row. Due Monday. Tonight's music: Tori Amos, "Scarlet's Walk." Currently playing: A sweet and lofty song called "Your Cloud."
My brief-writing music earlier today: "In Stride," an album by an excellent eccentric jazz group called "Oregon," featuring Ralph Towner, stunningly good on both piano and guitar. Check out the comments for a sample video, a song called "If."
When it's time to do mechanical proof-reading, I sometimes ride the hypnotic energy of Essentials of Deadmau5. Played Loudly. Rather amazing thing about Deadmau5. He composes on a regular keyboard (numbers and letters, not a keyboard that looks like a piano). I watched his Masterclass course and was mesmerized.
I have a difficult time sitting still when reading and writing 12 hours per day. Music helps to keeps me in my seat . . . I have many other favorite artists, but many of them take my focus too easily from the legal work to the music (e.g., Wes Montgomery, Tower of Power, Sarah Tavares, and lots and lots of covers).
I've played music somewhat seriously all my life and I spend significant time composing in my home studio. That background helps me to deeply appreciate the genius of Steely Dan's Walter Becker & Donald Fagin. Check out this video on the making of "Peg." It didn't just happy by putting a bunch of musicians in the room. They worked the shit out of that song to hone it exactly how they wanted it. For instance, they carted in 7 or 8 guitar players until they got the guitar lead the way they wanted it. And did you know that Michael McDonald did those exquisite background vocals? McDonald discusses his work on the background vocals at min 6:30. Enjoy . . .
RIP Lyle Mays. How often have the notes from your keyboards filled my heart and mind? Here is Lyle with Pat Metheny, playing one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard, "Letter from Home." Please take 2 minutes to listen to this. It will melt away anything that is troubling you.