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appalamutte · 2 years

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it pains me this fandom hasn’t explored an orchestra/classical musician au :/ like y’all are really going to make me write it aren’t you? against my will? without any compensation besides my own personal fulfillment?

like just imagine:

bob zimmermann is the yo-yo ma of the violin. he’s internationally recognized. he’s performed in the greatest concert halls around the world -- carnegie hall, vienna musikverein, the sydney opera house, palais garnier, etc. -- and his playing style is so controlled yet so brash that he’s dubbed “Bad Bob” because you would expect he’s going to be bad from how harshly he plays. he has strong preference for dissonance in his playing and a firm disregard for the traditional playing styles of the baroque and romantic eras, making him controversial in the world of music and leading many to believe his fame is nothing more than accidental luck.

but it isn’t. he’s one of the best, and he helped revolutionize classical music into the modern style we know it as today.

he meets alicia at a gala in prague, and within two years they marry and have jack. jack, who as a baby would cry and cry and could only be soothed with his father’s playing. jack, who plays his first note on his father’s old violin before he says his first words. jack, who grows up with a bow in hand and the classical music world’s eyes on his back.

from early on, it’s clear jack’s taken on his father’s talent. bob starts giving jack lessons as early as five years old, and while he gets caught up in the prospect of his son following in his footsteps, alicia is determined to make sure jack knows he isn’t pressured to do so.

jack knows, mostly. he spends hours every week with a violin in hand because he wants to. it’s more than a hobby, more than following his father’s footsteps; playing the violin gives him this sense of purpose nothing else can. he learns from his father, he practices daily. he builds calluses. he performs his first concerto at eleven, he plays for the canadian prime minister at the place des arts in montreal at thirteen. he joins his father on bob’s last world tour at sixteen, playing alongside him in berlin, rome, moscow, tokyo, sao paulo.

he does it all, trying to make a name for himself, and it almost works. people recognize his playing. he’s stopped a few times on a trip to vienna by fans wanting pictures. different symphonies reach out to him--not his father--personally asking if he’d perform with them for a special event. but the world still sees zimmermann and asks him what it’s like to follow in his father’s footsteps, why is it that jack’s playing style is so different from his father’s, does he feel pressured because of the zimmermann shadow, is his father proud of him?

after a particularly intrusive interview where jack tries to keep the topic on his attempts at composing his own works, he takes a few months off and tries to not read the internet too much. he spends time with his grandparents in quebec city, he stays at his family’s vacation home in halifax, alicia and him fly off to san diego for a few days, just the two of them.

it’s in their san diego hotel that jack caves. he goes online and reads, reads, reads. there’s article after article with clips from that interview, headlines ranging from Jack Zimmermann: the Modern Day Mozart to Is Jack Zimmermann Living up to the Zimmermann Standard? to The Prodigy to Revolutionize Classical Music, Just Like His Father.

he lets it soak into his skin, staying up at night until sleep finally comes, only to dream of walking onto stage with a program showing his face and reading Bob Zimmermann. he comes back from his hiatus and ups his medications. he holds performances in vancouver, chicago, toronto, and he reads more and more articles about him every night before bed. he starts to pull away from his mother’s hugs quicker. he finds himself unable to look his father in the eye.

jack rehearses and reads and he breaks a string three minutes before he has to perform in ottawa at a fundraising event for his father’s new non-profit to uplift music in the schools and he can’t control his breathing in the bathroom fast enough to walk out on time.

then he disappears at eighteen, and all is quiet.

there’s speculation, rampant in the beginning until it dwindles over the years. some say he couldn’t handle the attention and ran off to some private boarding school in the middle of nowhere. others say he couldn’t handle the pressure and left music entirely. a few spitball conspiracies that he died, willingly or not, that being bad bob’s son was too much to bear, that jack’s fame wasn’t accidental but rather forced, nepotistic.

in 2008 a reddit post claimed to have seen jack leaving a hospital in montreal. in 2009 a random twitter user posted two grainy pictures of what appeared to be jack in an elementary school. in 2010 a tmz article said alicia and jack were spotted multiple times in boston, though bob was noticeably absent.

in 2011, jack zimmermann enrolls at the Samwell Conservatory, a small, undistinguished music school struggling to compete with the likes of Juilliard and Berklee.

it’s his first official public appearance in three years.

-- -- --

eric bittle didn’t pick up a violin until he was twelve years old.

originally, he didn’t even want to join his middle school’s orchestra. his family had just moved to an atlanta suburb thanks to his daddy’s new defensive line coach position at georgia tech, and his mama’s job at the doctor’s office had her working late in the evenings, so they made him pick an extracurricular activity to keep him occupied after school.

the gay-straight alliance was a no brainer. the co-ed hockey team dug up too many bad memories. the home ec club was tempting, but he knew what the other boys would say if he joined it.

so the school’s orchestra it was.

on his first day he was given all sorts of instruments to try: the cello was too big for his small body, the double bass was even bigger, the viola hurt to hold for too long. the violin was perfect, though, and soon enough eric found that he was rather okay at it. maybe more than okay. he caught on quickly with how to tune, how to hold the bow on the strings, how to read sheet music. vibrato was a bit hard to get used to, but the boy he shared a stand with was nice enough to help him, staying after rehearsals to show him how to wiggle his finger on the string and all.

(eric blushed bright as a tomato when the boy leaned close and grabbed his hand to put it in the right position. he couldn’t make eye contact the next day.)

it was fun, too, to eric’s surprise. he liked being able to hear songs come together, to be a part of something bigger than himself rather than be a solo act. it was easy to blend in while sitting in the middle of all the violins, and the end product of the music slowly grew from being just a bonus to being an accomplished reward.

he stuck with the violin throughout middle and high school, spending weekends rehearsing and weekdays with the other violins. he found that he could almost be himself with them, and being in the school orchestra was better than being a figure skater, even though it still wasn’t the football team. boys played the violin all the time. no one batted an eye when he carried his violin in every morning like they did when he’d have to bring his leotards because katya wanted him to rehearse his program with them on after school. his father even came to all of his concerts, and his mother has an entire home library of videos and pictures from throughout the years.

on a whim, and after talking rather extensively with his director, eric sends in a video audition to the Samwell Conservatory. he thinks that it’s just for fun, that he honestly has no shot of getting in. he loves the violin, and yeah, he’s been first chair for three years now, but he knows he’s not nearly good enough to pursue it as a livelihood. coach’s position at georgia tech paves a perfect path for eric to go there anyway. maybe a business degree is attainable--everyone always gets a business degree when they have no real life plan, right? that’d be useful if he follows his other dream of opening up a bakery one day.

then he gets a letter saying he’s advancing to the in-person auditions held in boston.

then he has a panic attack in his director’s office.

then his mama and he fly up to boston in the middle of march and somehow eric doesn’t fuck up his audition too terribly, but still just enough that he can’t eat the lunch his mama buys him afterward.

it’s not until the first seventy-degree day in april that eric gets the acceptance letter. he’s in the middle of baking a lemon meringue pie when his daddy drops the mail off on the counter, saying a letter’s there for him from Samwell. eric stops everything and rips open the envelope at the kitchen table and reads the letter three times over.

he cries. his mama cries. coach sniffles and gives him a hug with a pat on the back. a half dozen pies get made. his moomaw and aunts and uncles and cousins come over that weekend for a celebratory cookout. his tweet garners nearly fifty likes (a record), and his mama’s facebook post is shared over a hundred times by their friends and neighbors.

his school orchestra throws him a surprise party during their next rehearsal and it hits him, standing in the middle of all his fellow violins, that he’s done it. he’s going to boston.

he’s going to attend the Samwell Conservatory.

#TW: mentions of panic attacks #so many wips are sitting dormant on my drive and yet here i am twirling my hair thinking about starting a new one #omgcp #eric bittle #jack zimmermann #my writing #classical music au

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dejadoodles-101 · 8 days

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Julia Elizabeth Randall

This portrait of her was taken in 1957

I wanna take the time and introduce you guys to one of my OCs!

Julia Randall was born on April 29, 1924 in her home during a storm in Dodge City, Kansas. She was the 3rd child of Arthur Randall and Constance (neé Bennett). She was the younger sister of Edward and Wallace and the older sister of Margaret. Julia grew up in Dodge City on a farm with her family while her father was a part of the military and fought in war. The farm they grew up in had crop fields and raised cows, horses, chickens, pigs and a rooster. Her mother was a teacher at a nearby school for all white primary school aged students and they had people take care of the farm while the family worked and did school. Julia would always help around the house by cleaning, taking care of the farm animals, help her mother cook and bake, gardening and other chores.

During The Great Depression, the farm went through a crisis with a lack of crops. They also struggled during the dust bowl storms and other issues. Julia started taking interest in music and singing at a young age between 6 and 7 years old and her mother took her to lessons like playing the piano for instance. She did very well in her school years and was an intelligent student. She took her studies seriously. At some point during her educational years, she took interest in drama and choreography and also took lessons.

At the age of 17 in the year 1941, her father passed away during WWII from being severely injured and wounded. After graduation, Randall went to California to study drama and did a modeling job.

A Hollywood director named Frank Haynes saw her modeling work and took interest in her and asked if she would be a part of a movie which would be her first film. Julia agreed and starred in her first film: “The Lady in the Lingerie”, a 1946 film. During the making of the film, she was forced to sleep with Haynes because he thought she was super attractive and was madly in love and obsessed with her. He also made her wear a push-up bra to expose her cleavage more to make her even more seductive. He gave her nicknames on the set such as “Babydoll”, “Tootsie” and “Sweet Thing”. Julia later revealed the truth in an interview and said she was “traumatized and manipulated” by him. She never liked him. Frank was 28 years older than her.

She did several other films including her most famous “Hephaestus” (1953) and “Miss Montgomery” (1957). Julia also had albums for her songs. Her most top hit was “Red Lips, Curvy Hips” which released in 1956. She also started appearing in television shows during the 1960s-90s. Julia also got married to an actor named Harold Donahue in 1948 and had 4 children named Cheryl (1951), Linda (1953), Carl (1956) and Deborah (1959) who were all born during the 50s.

When Julia decided to quit acting at some point during the early 90s, she took a job for teaching drama and choreography classes and taught for only 9 years. During that time, she would get calls for coming to late night shows and daytime shows for interviews and did that until the early 2000s. In 2004 (4 years before her death), she wrote a book about her life “My Life as Julia Randall and an American Actress” and sold over a million copies. She was 80 years old then.

Julia ended up developing breast cancer in 2007 and became very ill in late 2008. On the morning of December 13, 2008 in San Diego, California, Julia passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by her loving family at the age of 84. Her funeral was held in January of 2009 and was buried in a cemetery in the same city she passed away in. Julia was known to be one of the greatest American actresses, singers and dancers during the 20th century and was also known to be a “sex symbol” and was known as “Tall, Wise and Seductive”. She worked with several other famous celebrities during her career.

That’s all I’m gonna put for now. I’ll do facts about her another time and will be posting more of her. Hope you guys like her! 🩷🥰 Julia belongs to me!

#julia elizabeth randall #julia randall #original character #own character #digtial art #digital artwork #digital drawing #ibispaintx #ibispaintxapp #artwork #art #1950s #dejadoodles101

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handlewithcharacter · 7 months

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I was reading your tags for Kara/Lena and Drarry and got so curious about the supergirl fandom what happened??? Was the supergirl actress homophobic?? The one who was in glee and that’s why she wasn’t?!?

OH MY GOD OKAY I AM SO SORRY FOR WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN

The place? San Diego Comic Con. The year? 2017. Everything seems normal. Casts of shows are doing interviews, cracking jokes, it's a good time. And then the Supergirl cast are interview by MTV. And Jeremy Jordan sings a little musical recap of the previous season, in which he jokes that Kara and Lena are just friends. Well, I say joked...he very enthusiastically insists they're just friends. It is, shall we say, tactless. The cast seems surprised but are all laughing to various extents. Later on in the interview they're asked about shipping, and Jeremy Jordan says he's probably going to get some hate for his having "debunked Supercorp." Melissa Benoist tells him that he's "very brave."

Thus ends the part of this story that physically takes place at Comic Con 2017, but the real drama is just getting started.

(the page break is here for dramatic effect, but also because this somehow got very long)

You have to understand, anon, this is in between the second and third seasons of Supergirl. Karamel (Kara and Mon-El) were season 2's highly divisive power couple and the Karamel stans were making it everyone's business to know they had come out of the season on top. And you'd think they'd be in the midst of a great ship war with Karolsen (Kara and James) who decided to just be friends at the start of the season, but nope! No, their big enemy was the Supercorp fans. It was heated. It was tense. There was a block list that got circulated.

I'd say the Supergirl ship wars were the worst I'd ever encountered, but I would go on to join the Timeless fandom, and learned the very hard lesson of why small fandoms and ship wars should not mix. That being said, I'd put the Supercorp/Karamel drama as worse than the Clexa/Bellarke drama, if that helps put things into context for you at all.

So, suffice it to say, the internet was in upheaval over this.

Since I was firmly on the Supercorp side of the Supercorp/Karamel divide at the time, I can't say with much certainty how Karamel shippers reacted, though I assume they were pleased with themselves. But Supercorp fans were not okay. See, anon, I don't know when you started your journey into fandom, but in case it was after this, 2017 was a much different time. Lesbian ships weren't really shipped with the intention of them becoming canon since it was only recently that lesbian ships had started becoming canon, and wlw fandom spaces were all still reeling from the Great Lesbian Purge of 2016, in which roughly 40% of the canon queer women on television were killed off during the television season. (To this day I will watch shows and a queer woman will unexpectedly die for seemingly only shock value, and I'll be horrified, until I see the date the episode aired. Spring of 2016? Yeah, that tracks. Deep sigh. Lost another one to the Bury Your Gays.) Lesbian ships did not have the strength in canon that straight ships had, or the mainstream nerd appeal that gay male ships had. Not only did you have to contend with bitter ship wars, you had to contend with everyone telling you that you shouldn't be shipping the ship in the first place, that having a vested interest in a ship that would never happen was a lost cause and a question of sanity. To be a fan of a wlw ship was to be shut down at every single turn when you weren't even asking to go down the road and were just looking to see a potential view.

(Supercorp was far from the only ship to ever have to put up with this. If you take a look at fandom history, you'll see this countless times. Heck, the Xena fans who wanted Xena to end up with Ares were very determined that the lesbians would not overtake their show.)

But for some people, Supercorp was their first wlw ship. Their first queer community. Their first validation that it wasn't wrong to look at the main character of an incredibly popular show and wonder what it would be like if she kissed her same-gender best friend. I sincerely hope, anon, that whatever flavor you may favor, you have found that kind of validation in your media. It's liberating.

And now here you had Jeremy Jordan and Melissa Benoist "debunking" the myth that Kara and Lena could ever have feelings for each other. In all ways except physical, it was like the Supercorp fandom had just participated in the ice bucket challenge. And, whether it was as part of the Supergirl fandom or elsewhere, the Supercorp fans had already been through hell. It got ugly. Then there were memes. Then there was a lot of hate tweeting. Then there were people yelling about the hate tweeting. Mostly everyone was just a weird mix of angry and sad. These were two actors, two of the leads on this show, engaging in this behavior. It was a gut punch when everyone was already down.

Friday night, Jeremy Jordan releases an apology. It's not really an apology. It's an "I'm sorry you're upset" with a lot of condemnation and self defense. It has the general vibes that we'd describe in 2023 as "it's not that deep," but instead of addressing it to the fans, he condescendingly addresses it "Hey Kids."

Yeah, he'd spend the weekend regretting that.

Sunday, Jeremy Jordan would put out another apology. It was a sincere one this time, admitting he messed up and didn't truly understand the implications of what he was saying or the deep roots of homophobia in fandom culture. Most people accepted this - he was an idiot who made a mistake. Time would tell if he made it again. (Spoiler alert: he did not.) Some people, however, are still mad.

And then there was Melissa Benoist. Mind you, I don't think she personally acknowledged any of this at all. But her publicist sent out a statement (according to the fact checking I'm doing as I write this, it was in a private email to a fan, who then posted the response to tumblr) that Melissa was a proven ambassador of LGBT acceptance, as shown by her work on Glee. Uh, yeah. So that became a meme.

This, more or less, is where our story ends, unless you count a since-deleted Blind Item put out by TVLine that may or may not have been about the cast of Supergirl (but was heavily speculated to be about the cast of Supergirl) in which someone overheard two actors fighting before an interview the following day about one of their behavior, that ended when the other said "I just can't talk about this right now." (I am so bummed I cannot link this article, anon, you have no idea.) (The leading theory was that Katie McGrath, who of course came to Supergirl already having amassed a sizable queer following from her role in Merlin and also possibly her role in Dracula, gave Mr. Jordan a piece of her mind about what was and wasn't acceptable to say to a queer fan.)

And that's my tale. In addition to the season they were promoting, the cast of Supergirl would go on to do four more seasons and manage to get out of the Arrowverse without overstaying their welcome or being cancelled unceremoniously. And they moved on. Jeremy Jordan went back to New York, where he returned to Broadway and Off-Broadway and he's soon to be Off-Off-Broadway in the premiere of The Great Gatsby: the Musical. He also along the way ended up playing one of Hallmark's very first gay main characters. Katie McGrath went on to be a bisexual character on an Irish show, do the audiobook narration for a lesbian period romance novel, and is a masked evil lady in the new John Wick tv show. And Melissa Benoist went on to do a lot of incredible things in her personal life that don't necessarily belong in this little essay I've written here.

Genuinely, I wish everyone in that cast all the best.

Anon, I am so sorry this got as long as it did. I hope this answered your question!

#tl;dr it was a bunch of silly drama #and no one is actually homophobic #also me saying melissa did incredible stuff in her personal life isn't tongue in cheek or anything #I just didn't want to muddle those accomplishments by making them some kind of redeeming end to this story #because it's not relevant #and also her story doesn't need redeeming #this was wild drama but it was also just a moment #so please do not take away from this that i think any of them are bad people or anything to that effect #can't believe i can spend two hours fiercely dedicated to writing this but not any of the actual essays i have to write #would you believe i actually took out a whole little tangent?#it was about agents of sheild and skimmons #god i have to wake up in like four hours #asks

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nightofnyx8 · 1 year

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2022 Greatest Hits

Aww what a fun idea! Thank you for the tags @fullmetalscullyy and @roseofbattles!

I GRADUATED COLLEGE! Took 5 years but we did it baby! Ya girl is now officially certified to teach choir from K-12! Now to refill my very empty bank account...

Finished my student teaching! Technically part of graduating, but this semester was so challenging for me yet so rewarding. I taught in total six high school choirs and learned over 400 names. It was my hardest semester of college but I LOVED it and I can't wait to start teaching my own choirs. Really, really going to miss those kids though 💕They quite literally changed me as a teacher.

Toured the Baltic States with my university choir and won 1st place internationally! I loved singing in that choir and the Baltics are so rich in culture and history and I loved every second of it.

Got into my first professional choir where they pay me to sing! It's mostly old sacred music and Madrigal music, which I love! Plus the director has connections to the opera scene here which I hope to get more into next year.

Started piano lessons again. I have a love/hate relationship with piano since it's associated with perfectionism in my mind and how much trouble it caused me as a teen. But my new teacher's been awesome and she's helping me to practice not only more effectively but also with a much healthier mindset.

Went on a road trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico with my friend and absolutely loved it. Hands down some of the best food I've ever had and got to listen to some really awesome choirs down there as well.

Had ups and down with my mental health, but writing's been such a huge help! My days tend to be busy so it's nice to have that time to myself just to sit down and write. I've also started to get more into multi-chaptered fics which is a new challenge!

My husband and I weren't able to spend the holidays together this year (thanks Southwest) and I spent three days stranded alone in San Diego, including on Christmas Eve (it sucked). But I got to spend the holidays with my favorite aunt and helped out with her brand-new baby girl.❤️

I got more into my audiobooks this year! I've discovered a new love for the classics, including The Alchemist, The Great Gatsby, A Little Princess, A Christmas Carol and the Secret Garden. Least favorite was also ironically Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyer (@roseofbattles). Would not recommend, -50/100

My husband and I are still married and haven't killed each other yet. Honestly, the biggest thing I've learned this year is that you can still be romantic and laugh together even when you have no money and are stressed beyond belief. Here's to 2 years in May!

tagging @jedidragonwarriorqueen @goneadrift @whateversawesome and @wondrousmay

#asks #personal #some really good memories made this year #now to join the work force yay... :)

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ruggiethethuggie · 1 year

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for @sonicsponge03 - Dec 17 * reference is this post cause i have a big ole birthday encyclopedia. post is not original thoughts. excerpts will be cited.

December 17th The Birthday of the Vital Realist | "I am what I do."

Life Lesson: Seeing the lighter side. The Way Forward: To understand that one of the ways to improve your life satisfaction is to take everything and everyone less seriously. Luck Maker: Carry a lucky charm to activate your sense of wonder and inspire a positive expectation of good fortune.

December 17-born tend to say exactly what they mean and they expect others to do the same. Success to them can be measured in concrete terms and, as a practical realist, they garner responsibility and a reputation for honesty and hard work. With the courage and vitality to achieve almost any goal they set, these people are doers rather than thinkers. What interests them is facts, results and actions, not dreams, debates or theories. Everything is focused on what can be achieved or produced right now; this ability to concentrate only on what is before their eyes means they can achieve spectacular results. They can be overly serious at times and don't understand the importance of small talk and a sense of humor; they need to smile more and recognize that emotions sometimes can't be explained or categorized. Born managers, they are drawn to business, retail, commerce, administration, accounting, the law and sales, but may also excel in education, writing, science, sport or research. Their artistic side may pull them toward music, acting or other creative pursuits. Their lifestyles can be sedentary, so regular exercise and paying attention to their posture helps them feel fitter and more upbeat. For self care, wearing, meditating on and surrounding yourself with the color orange encourages you to be more spontaneous. Although others value these people's earthy sensuality and sincerity, real intimacy requires them to lighten up a little. Until the age of 34 they focus on practical issues and a need for order and structure. They already tend to be pragmatic and realistic, so it is important they don't also become too materialistic. After 34 they become more experimental. The key to their success and happiness is their ability to introduce a spiritual dimension to their lives, because this will give them the sense of certainty, truth, order and wonder that they have been seeking. Once they are more self-aware and in touch with their emotions, their destiny is to pioneer wonderfully creative action plans.

#~.birthdays #♦ dec 17 #not my own writing #encyclopedia of birthdays

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transmissionsfromthebattlefield · 2 years

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Kent Let It Go

In the past week, I became the subject of numerous jokes about how I was going to need four blog entries for that past weekend alone—it later multiplied to six—because of all the events that got jam-packed into three and a half weary, weary days. Three days that contained my personal favorite nerd gathering, the DEVOtional, and would go on to comprise possibly the most roller coaster-like weekend of my life thus far.

Welp, after over a week, here it comes.

The aforementioned weekend really kicked off on Thursday (though I had a class the next morning). The members of DEVOtional veteran act Fight Milk, having come in early for rehearsals, found time in their schedule to come down to good ol’ Kent State so I could show them around.

I’ve been seeing Fight Milk at DEVOtional since 2019, and it’s been wild seeing them morph and mutate into what they are now. Not only do they always bring the most extreme amounts of fun, they also really get what DEVO is all about in a way. They are dedicated, and they respect what those old fogies were doing while still maintaining a Gen Z flair. Add that all three of their performers this year were coming from such long distances—lone constant Jackson from Seattle, Tavi from Finland, and Max from San Diego—and it only felt fitting that they should get to see where DEVO all began.

The first up important locale was Governance Chambers, the site of both the “Jocko Homo” music video and DEVO’s second ever show, in the Student Center. Luckily, one of its sets of doors was unlocked and no one was in there, so we slipped in without even a whimper from anyone actually working in the building. URBAN EXPLORATION! It was a great joy seeing the guys be such nerds in there, ESPECIALLY Max, the guy who, you know, covered the entirety of that second show.

They also did some obligatory Mark Mothersbaugh poses:

Before heading into town, I got to show them the site of the shootings on May 4, 1970, which DEVO’s bassist witnessed and credits with being the catalyst of the band. You would figure that the place where DEVO was born, and a place so historical at that, would be at least somewhat noteworthy for people to visit when they’re coming up for the DEVOtional every year. At least we got to do our part.

It was a solemn experience walking down to the victory bell on the commons and looking down on the Taylor Hall parking lot from the perspective of the National Guardsmen who killed four and wounded nine that day. But it was a worthwhile and important one, and all three also enjoyed the visitors center inside Taylor Hall as well, with all its artifacts providing context.

(Here they were looking for coin offerings that matched up with 1970 at I believe Allison’s parking space:)

We also stalked through McGilvrey Hall, which has some May 4 related displays on its first floor and is generally an incredible time capsule of the mid century in terms of its hallways. We peeked into the auditorium in Cartwright Hall, where DEVO have performed—there was a recital going on!—as well.

After some aimless wandering, we headed down the esplanade into town, got handed some Get Out Of Hell Free cards by some old dude, and made our way towards Water Street, which contains a row of buildings that can be seen in the video for “Secret Agent Man.” More nerd behavior ensued.

When that was all said and done, our next goal was sustenance. Taco Tontos was on the menu. On our way down, we ended up running into a poster for DEVOtional, the whole reason these three nerds were here in the first place. We still don’t know the culprit.

We would then discuss all the secrets of the group’s set list while Tavi ate the best burrito he’d had in his life. Actually, we all ended up getting burritos. What weirdos. How deviant from the norm. Another important lesson realized by these friends: Taco Tontos never disappoints.

We made our way back to the campus one last time so the guys could get an Uber and rest up for Friday’s activities.

It was an absolute blast showing the guys around, and it felt like a natural way to kick off the weekend. For me, it was definitely more than satisfying getting to see Kent State finally get some acknowledgment—especially from some talented nerds who have been finding themselves on the forefront of...whatever this modern battleground is. After all, you can’t go forward without knowing your history.

Or an empty stomach.

#blog #blogging #blogosphere #blogger #Kent State #Kent State University #Kent Ohio #Fight Milk #Fight Milk band #Zhir Vengersky #DEVO #DEVOtional #DEVOtional 2022 #May 4 1970 #history lessons #nerds #my boyfriend

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jpbjazz · 7 days

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LÉGENDES DU JAZZ

HOWARD RUMSEY, PIONNIER DU JAZZ DE LA COTE OUEST

“When you have great jazz improvisationalists working together, it’s like the aperitif of life. There’s nothing more elegant and beautiful.”

- Howard Rumsey

Né le 7 novembre 1917 à Bradley, en Californie, Howard Rumsey avait commencé à apprendre le piano à l’âge de quatre ans, avant de passer à la batterie puis à la contrebasse. Rumsey avait été initié à la musique par sa mère, qui jouait de la mandoline. Il expliquait: ‘’She had no intention of making me a professional musician. She just thought music would be good for me.’’ Rumsey avait étudié le piano durant huit ans avant d’apprendre à jouer d’autres instruments avec un musicien anglais nommé Horace Williams. Rumsey précisait: ‘’While I was in high school, an Englishman named Horace Williams, a conservatory musician, was sent to the Imperial Valley to cure his asthma. When he arrived, he came to the high school and offered lessons on all the instruments. So I went to him and started taking drum lessons.’’

Rumsey avait commencé à étudier la contrebasse un peu par hasard. Il poursuivait:

‘’One day I was at a root beer stand a block from my house. Those soda stands were popular out West back then, especially in the summer when it was red hot. When I heard the sound of a big bass coming out of the jukebox there, I fell in love with the instrument instantly. At high school, I noticed there was a bass in the auditorium. It was on a stand. No one had ever played it. It was just here. I told myself I should learn to play it. I already had piano and drums as a foundation, so it wasn’t too difficult picking up the bass, too.’’

DÉBUTS DE CARRIÈRE

Rumsey avait amorcé sa carrière professionnelle à l’âge de dix-huit ans en jouant du piano dans les clubs. Rumsey avait adopté à la contrebasse après qu’un de ses amis musiciens lui ait fait remarquer qu’il y avait une pénurie de spécialistes de cet instrument.

Après avoir étudié durant un an au Los Angeles City College, Rumsey s’était joint au groupe de Vido Musso. Des années plus tard, Rumsey avait expliqué comment il était entré dans le groupe de Musso à la fin des années 1930. Il avait déclaré:

‘’I got that job through alto saxophonist Jack Ordean, who was a close friend. When Vido hired him, Jack made Vido hire me. Vido's band played at Redondo Beach just south of Los Angeles. The place seated 235 people. Stan Kenton played piano in Vido's band. One day the band played at the black Elks Club in L.A. We were playing transcribed Jimmie Lunceford charts. On one of the songs, For Dancers Only, the groove was so good that when the song ended I kept playing the four-bar phrase over and over. Stan’s mouth fell open, and the band was quiet. Nobody said anything. Just me vamping, possessed, in this big hall. After about 12 bars, Stan started playing again, and Vido brought the band back in. That was a blast. That’s what set me up to play with Stan.’’

Par la suite, Rumsey avait fait un long séjour dans le groupe de Johnny "Scat" Davis. Lorsque Stan Kenton, un ancien membre de l’orchestre de Musso, avait décidé de former son propre groupe en 1941 (l’orchestre se produisait au Rendezvous Ballroom de Balboa Beach), Rumsey s’était joint à la formation comme contrebassiste. Rumsey étant encore mineur, Kenton avait dû demander la permission de sa mère qui exploitait une pâtisserie à San Diego. Décrivant son passage dans l’orchestre de Kenton, Rumsey avait commenté: ‘’Yes, I’m the sole surviving member of the original band. For what it was at that time, Stan’s band was very good. It was formed around the sax section. Stan originally had five saxes and only two trombones and three trumpets. Basically, the band was built on a sax section accompanied by five brass and a three-man rhythm section—guitar, bass and drums—because Stan rarely played piano then.’’

Rumsey avait fait peu de tournées avec l’orchestre de Kenton, même s’il avait participé à quelques concerts locaux. Il poursuivait: ‘’Eventually we did some one-nighters locally. We did club dates in Glendale [CA]. And we played the ballrooms in all the beach towns along the coast. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday there would be four or five bands at each place. We also played all the theaters in the Los Angeles area in 1941.’’

D’une certaine façon, Rumsey avait même été une sorte de pionnier de la basse électrique. À l’époque, Rumsey ne jouait pas vraiment de la contrebasse acoustique, mais plutôt une basse électrique conçue par la compagnie Rickenbacker. Il expliquait: ‘’Yes, it wasn’t an acoustic bass. It was an electric stand up bass with a very narrow body. It used tubes with the amplifier and speaker in a cabinet. The Rickenbacker guitar people made two prototypes. They gave one to me and another to Moses Allen, the bass player in Jimmie Lunceford's band. They gave it to us for free and asked us to play it for a year.’’ Quand on avait demandé à Rumsey quelle avait été la réaction de Kenton face à cet instrument, il avait simplement répondu en riant: ‘’Stan didn’t mind. He didn’t like the sound of the instrument, but he put up with it. He had a sharp new band, and I was playing a sharp modern-looking bass.’’

Décrivant le groupe de Kenton comme très innovateur, Rumsey avait ajouté:

‘’That band completely broke the mold of the past. Soon after we returned, Stan came to the realization that it was time to voice the saxophones and brass differently. The new sound was a beautiful change for the dancers and listeners. Our music was easy to dance to in places like the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa Beach because it was well known by the people who came and followed the band {...}. When we went out on tour again in 1942 and arrived in New York, the band was hotter than hell and grooving like mad. Marvin George, our drummer, was working the bass-drum pedal so hard that that he went right through the head. He never had time to change it, so we opened at the Roseland Ballroom without a head on the bass drum [rires].’’

Finalement, le Roseland Ballrom avait refusé de renouveler le contrat du groupe. Rumsey expliquait: ‘’Stan was frustrated, and so were the people who owned the ballroom. They also cut his engagement down to a month. Stan was angry and started telling guys in the band not to play extra notes, just the ones in the charts. He aimed most of that warning at trumpeter Earl Collier, who played the jazz solos, and me. He fingered us, and it broke my heart. He just wanted me to play time.’’

Rumsey avait finalement quitté le groupe au bout de deux ans après avoir eu un désaccord avec Kenton. Revenant sur les événements, Rumsey avait précisé:

‘’When we moved on to the Summit Ballroom in Baltimore, I foolishly got loaded and wasn’t playing the parts as written. I had a solo to play on Concerto for Doghouse. I had to play my solo maybe two times each night. I wanted to mix it up. I was young. Looking back, I’d say I was taking advantage of Stan by getting a swell head and playing what I wanted to. Then two strings snapped off my bass, and I didn’t have extra strings. It was a mess. Stan grew enraged and took my music stand off the stage right in the middle of a performance and fired me. It kind of broke my heart.’’

Très reconnaissant envers Kenton de lui avoir donné sa chance, Rumsey avait déclaré dans le documentaire “Jazz on the West Coast: The Lighthouse” publié plusieurs années plus tard: “He made a professional musician out of me — which was rather hard to do.” Même si sa collaboration avec Kenton s’était plutôt mal terminée, Rumsey avait adoré son expérience. Il expliquait: ‘’I loved the sound. Everyone else in the band was 100% sold on it, too. The sound was responsible for giving Stan his early success. He kept revising Artistry in Rhythm {la chanson thème de l’orchestre} and had a completely new overture each time. It was remarkable for that alone. I got chills every time I played that son of a gun.’’

Après avoir quitté l’orchestre de Kenton, Rumsey était retourné en Californie. Très déprimé, Rumsey s’était finalement joint au groupe de Freddie Slack dont faisait également partie la chanteuse Margaret Whiting à l’époque. Mais Slack était alcoolique, ce qui avait rendu le séjour de Rumsey avec le groupe plutôt pénible. Rumsey poursuivait: ‘’He had a band boy that brought along a valise for him with two fifths of gin inside. As a result of his drinking, Freddie wasn’t a very nice guy.’’ Au printemps 1944, Rumsey s’était finalement joint au groupe de Charlie Barnet avec qui il avait enregistré le grand succès ‘’Skyliner.’’

Après avoir quitté le groupe de Barnet, Rumsey avait fait partie de l’orchestre de Barney Bigard avant de se retirer de la musique temporairement. Au début de 1948, Rumsey se cherchait un endroit où jouer lorsqu’il était tombé sur le Lighthouse Club. Situé sur l’avenue Pier à Hermosa Beach, le club semblait l’endroit idéal pour jouer de la musique. Rumsey connaissait bien Hermosa Beach pour y avoir joué dix ans plus tôt dans une salle de danse appelée le Hut Ballroom.

Construit en 1934, le Lighthouse avait d’abord été le site du restaurant Verpilates, nommé d’après le propriétaire de l’époque. Le restaurant servait des mets italiens et des rafraîchissements. Lorsque l’établissement avait changé de mains en 1940, le nouveau propriétaire, qui vivait à San Pedro, avait transformé le restaurant en café ouvert 24 heures par jour. Un plus de desservir les matelots de la marine marchande, d’où son nom de ‘’Lighthouse’’ (phare), le club attirait également un certains nombre de riverains et de travailleurs de l’industrie aéronautique. À l’époque, on retrouvait dans la localité voisine de El Segundo une usine qui fabriquait des chasseurs P-51 Mustang ainsi que des bombardiers B-25 Mitchell.

En 1948, le club avait finalement été vendu à John Levine, un tenancier qui avait possédé une quinzaine de bars avec son associé pendant la guerre. Levine opérait aussi une salle de billard. Après la guerre, Hermosa Beach était devenue une station balnéaire qui attirait surtout des touristes et dont la population augmentait d’environ 50% pendant l’été. À l’époque, Levine faisait face à une impasse, car il ignorait comment rejoindre cette nouvelle clientèle. Grand parieur, Levine désirait demeurer à Hermosa Beach, car il espérait pouvoir continuer de se rendre au club Gardena situé à proximité pour aller jouer aux cartes.

À l’èpoque, Levine avait un beau-frère appelé Art Kahn, qui s’était rendu célèbre comme musicien en dirigeant son propre groupe dans un hôtel de Chicago durant dix ans. Levine avait fait venir Kahn à Hermosa Beach dans l’espoir qu’il pourrait obtenir des contrats avec des studios d’enregistrement. Mais Kahn n’étant pas un très bon musicien, il était devenu gérant pour des actrices qu’il avait formé à chanter dans des films. Kahn avait également formé un groupe avec des musiciens du L.A. Police Department. Le groupe s’était même produit en concert au Lighthouse. À l’époque, il existait aussi un autre club appelé les High Seas. Également situé sur Pier Avenue, le club employait des musiciens de couleur assez âgés qui avaient abandonné la vie de tournée après avoir joué avec des big bands. Même si Levine avait recruté certains de ces musiciens, il n’avait pas fait beaucoup d’argent avec le groupe. Il avait donc dû laisser partir les musiciens.

C’est à ce moment que Rumsey était arrivé dans le portrait. Après avoir convaincu Levine de tenir des jam sessions tous les dimanches après-midi, Rumsey avait présenté un premier concert le dimanche 29 mai 1949. Rumsey expliquait comment il avait eu l’idée de jouer les dimanches après-midi:

‘’I had the idea from something I had seen with Stan [Kenton] back in the early 1940s. There were several clubs on Central Avenue and around town where black musicians played. In these clubs, I had seen people just sitting and listening to a small jazz group rather than dancing. This was a new concept out here in the early 1940s. Everything was about dancing here then. The image of people listening to the music stuck in my head. I thought the concept might work at the Lighthouse.’’

Après s’être fait d’abord tirer l’oreille, Levine, qui n’avait plus rien à perdre, avait finalement accepté. Le groupe avait remporté un succès immédiat. Comme Rumsey l’avait déclaré au cours d’une entrevue accordée au Los Angeles Times en 1999: “The next week we propped open the two front doors and blasted music out onto the street, and in a couple of hours there were more people in there than he’d seen in six weeks.”

Rumsey poursuivait: ‘’He was up for anything. He just shrugged and said, “Sure why not.” But he warned me that the place was dead Sunday afternoons. He figured he didn’t really have anything to lose. So I became the Lighthouse’s music contractor. I was responsible for putting together groups. Levine paid me a salary and an occasional bonus if we were doing great business.’’ Levine, qui ne s’intéresserait qu’aux paris, avait donné carte blanche à Rumsey. Comme la salle était plutôt petite, le club ne pouvait accueillir que de petites formations. Rumsey avait donc engagé les meilleurs musiciens disponibles.

Si Rumsey avait pu recruter de si bons musiciens, c’est que la plupart d’entre eux n’avaient pas encore obtenu leur carte de l’Union. Dans les années 1940 et 1950, il y avait tellement de travail dans les studios de Los Angeles que l’Union des musiciens avait adopté une nouvelle règle qui prévoyait que ses membres devaient résider à Los Angeles durant six mois avant de pouvoir obtenir leur carte.

Si beaucoup des musiciens recrutés par Rumsey avaient immigré dans l’Ouest, la plupart avaient joué dans des big bands comme ceux de Woody Herman, Les Brown, Stan Kenton et Charlie Barnet durant l’hiver. Le groupe comprenait aussi des musiciens de Los Angeles qui avaient joué sur Central Avenue dans les années 1940. Parmi ces musiciens, on remarquait de grands noms du jazz comme Teddy Edwards, Sonny Criss, Hampton Hawes, Frank Patchen, Bobby White et Keith Williams.

Les jam sessions avaient remporté un tel succès qu’elles s’étaient bientôt transformées en sessions marathon qui se prolongeaient parfois sur une durée de douze heures. Éventuellement, le groupe avait commencé à jouer durant la semaine et en soirée. Rumsey décrivait ainsi le type de clientèle que le club avait attiré au début: ‘’When I first walked into the Lighthouse in 1948, the only people who were coming in were the people who worked the docks or made their living in the aircraft industry. They were kind of swingers. They loved to drink and have a good time. They also were a bit older. I made friends with them by playing old standards, which made them feel the music was meant for them. This kept my core audience coming back.’’

Avec le temps, même des sommités du jazz comme Miles Davis, Lee Morgan, Cannonball Adderley, Art Blakey, Wes Montgomery, le Modern Jazz Quartet, Grant Green, les Jazz Crusaders, Elvin Jones et Thelonious Monk étaient venus jouer ou enregistrer avec le groupe. Décrivant l’arrivée de Monk, Rumsey avait expliqué: “He was trying to be very incognito, sitting quietly at the end of the bar. Then his name was announced. He walked to the piano, played ‘Round Midnight,’ got up, took a bow and walked right out the front door. I never saw him again.”

Éventuellement, le groupe avait lancé un nouveau style musical qui s’était fait connaître sous le nom de jazz de la Côte ouest. Rumsey expliquait:

‘’The musicians who played there were playing a new sound. All those lines and harmonies. Within a couple of years, the record companies started calling it West Coast jazz. They wanted to record the groups that I assembled at the Lighthouse. So I put together a formal group and called us the Lighthouse All Stars. None of my bass parts were written out. I comped, and it made me better over time, though I’m not sure everyone would think that [laughs]. Sometimes I thought I wasn’t playing as well as I should have.’’

Mais contrairement à ce qu’on croit souvent, le jazz de la Côte ouest n’avait rien à voir avec le ‘’Cool jazz.’’ Rumsey expliquait: ‘’It had a different sound. It wasn’t cool, like most people think. It was between cool and bop. As Shelly Manne said, the only difference was we were at the Lighthouse and other guys were in Chicago and New York [...]. It’s the music of happy—in a hurry.’’ Décrivant le jazz de la Côte ouest, Rumsey avait ajouté:

‘’It was a combination of Gerry Mulligan and Shorty Rogers. They changed the whole scene. They get the big medals. Mulligan was a friend of Gil Evans. Gil was originally from Newport Beach and had a band at the Rendezvous Ballroom. Then he started writing arrangements for Claude Thornhill. Mulligan had a whole new cool sound, and when he came out to L.A., he brought cool with him. He and Chet capitalized on that and sold it. Shorty was a monster arranger, constantly inventing. And tireless. And everywhere back then.’’

Très populaire, le nouveau style musical avait attiré une clientèle de plus en plus jeune. Rumsey poursuivait: ‘’And the sound of the jazz was changing. The Sunday concerts became so popular that I had them running from 2 pm to 2 am, with different guys coming and going. It was wild.’’

Sidéré du succès remporté par le groupe, Levine, qui était éventuellement devenu comme un second père pour Rumsey, ne pouvait en croire ses yeux. Rumsey avait ajouté: ‘’He was beside himself. Because he was making money. Starting in World War II, there was a 15% state tax in California on entertainment that featured singing or was for dancing. Customers saw the extra hit in their bills, and clubs passed it along to the state. But instrumental music was not taxed. That tax remained in force until the 1980s.’’ Le groupe avait même engagé une chanteuse pour jouer dans le cadre de certaines pièces.

Le groupe attirant surtout une clientèle de jeunes, Rumsey avait commencé à faire des tournées dans les collèges du sud de la Californie. C’est d’ailleurs dans le cadre de ces tournées que Rumsey avait rencontré sa future épouse, Joyce. Le couple avait été marié durant quarante-sept ans jusqu’à la mort de Joyce en 1998.

Pour combler les départs, Rumsey avait recruté de nouveaux éléments comme le saxophoniste Jimmy Giuffre, le trompettistes Shorty Rogers, le tromboniste Frank Rosolino et les batteurs Stan Levey et Shelly Manne. Le succès remporté par le groupe avait éventuellement attiré l’attention du propriétaire des disques Contemporary, Lester Koenig, qui l’avait fait participer à diverses sessions d’enregistrement. Devenu une véritable institution, le groupe avait enregistré douze albums de 1951 à 1957, avec un personnel souvent différent. Parmi ces enregistrement, on remarquait une série d’albums live comme “Music for Lighthousekeeping” et “Lighthouse at Laguna.” Les membres du groupe avaient également dirigé leurs propres sessions avec les disques Contemporary.

Après que Rogers, Giuffre et Manne aient quitté le groupe en 1953 pour aller jouer au club The Haig, Rumsey avait formé une seconde version du groupe autour de Bud Shank, Bob Cooper, Rolf Ericsson et Max Roach.

Le 13 septembre 1953, le jour où Roach avait participé à son premier concert avec le groupe, la formation avait participé à un enregistrement historique mettant en vedette Chet Baker, Miles Davis, Russ Freeman et Lorraine Geller. Lorsque Shank, Cooper, Ericsson et Max Roach avaient quitté le groupe à leur tour, d’autres musiciens avaient pris la relève au cours des années suivantes. Dans son ouvrage West Coast Jazz publié en 1998, Ted Gioia prétendait avoir retracé les noms de plus de soixante-quinze musiciens qui avaient été membres du groupe à un moment ou un autre. Devenu un important membre de la communauté, Rumsey était même devenu membre de la Chambre de commerce locale sous les pressions de Levine. Il avait aussi tenu une chronique de musique dans le journal local. De son côté, le Lighthouse avait commandité un concours de beauté annuel et participé à des parades.

DERNIÈRES ANNÉES

Durant leurs années d’activité, les Lighthouse All-Stars étaient devenus une véritable institution sur la Côte ouest, et avaient donné du travail à de nombreux musiciens de Los Angeles. Mais selon le critique et historien du jazz, Ted Gioia, les Lighthouse All Stars n’avaient pas été tellement affectés par le développement du jazz cool qui avait pris naissance en Californie à cette époque. Gioia avait déclaré: "The All-Stars had always been somewhat unaffected by the cool jazz ethos prevalent on the coast. This was hard bop plain and simple . . ."

Malheureusement, la veine avait éventuellement fini par se tarir. Au début des années 1960, l’intérêt pour le jazz à Los Angeles avait grandement diminué, et le groupe avait été contraint de suspendre ses activités, ce qui n’avait pas empêché Rumsey d’engager d’autres groupes pour se produire au club durant le reste de la décennie. Afin de soutenir le développement du jazz dans le sud de la Californie, Rumsey avait également fondé au milieu des années 1950 l’Intercollegiate Jazz Festival.

De 1971 à 1985, Rumsey avait été propriétaire de Concerts by the Sea, un club de deux cents sièges situé à Redondo Beach, en Californie, qui présentait le meilleur jazz de la région de Los Angeles. Décrivant les débuts de Concerts by the Sea, Rumsey avait commenté: ‘’Yes, after John Levine died in 1970, I stayed at the Lighthouse for a year. But by then, John’s son wanted to turn the Lighthouse into a blues club, and I wanted to try something new. An opportunity came up down in Redondo Beach. Stan Kenton’s brother-in-law was the city manager, and the town had just put in a new horseshoe-shaped pier. My club was on one end, and a restaurant was on the other.’’

Se sentant de plus en plus dépassé par l’évolution du marché de la musique, Rumsey avait finalement décidé de prendre sa retraite en 1985. Il expliquait: ‘’I no longer understood the music. Musicians showed up with tons of equipment and wires—so much that in the end we had to put in heavy lumber just to get the stuff in. And then getting it out was even harder. The music was changing, and I was worn out.’’

Malgré tout, Rumsey avait eu beaucoup de plaisir avec les Lighthouse All Stars. Toujours passionné par l’improvisation, Rumsey avait déclaré en 1999: “When you have great jazz improvisationalists working together, it’s like the aperitif of life. There’s nothing more elegant and beautiful.”

Décrivant sa recette pour opérer avec succès un club de jazz, Rumsey avait ajouté: ‘’Have the musicians start on time [rires]. If a guy drives 20 miles to be there and wants to hear music at 9 o'clock, you owe it to him to start on time. If you do that, the guy will be back. With friends’’.

Howard Rumsey est mort à Newport Beach, en Californie, le 15 juillet 2015, à la suite d’une pneumonie. Il était âgé de quatre-vingt-dix sept ans. Mort dans la solitude (son épouse Joyce était décédée en 1998), Rumsey n’avait pas laissé de survivants immédiats. Rumsey avait fait une de ses dernière apparitions publiques dans le cadre d’un hommage au guitariste Kenny Burrell à UCLA.

LES MEMBRES DU GROUPE

Plusieurs musiciens s’étaient distingués avec les Lighthouse All Stars.

Considéré comme un vétéran, le saxophoniste Bob Cooper était originaire de Pittsburgh et était demeuré durant quatre ans avec le groupe. Surnommé ‘’Coop’’, Cooper avait non seulement écrit plusieurs compositions et arrangements, mais il était devenu un multi-instrumentiste de grand talent, se produisant à la fois au cor anglais, au hautbois et au saxophone ténor.

Le tromboniste Frank Rosolino avait fait partie du groupe durant deux ans. Surnommé ‘’Funny Frank’’, Rosolino était originaire de Detroit et était issu d’une famille de musiciens. Même si le trombone était son principal instrument, Rosolino pouvait également jouer de la contrebasse, du piano, de la batterie et de plusieurs autres instruments.

Originaire de Mishawaka, en Indiana, Conte Candoli jouait de la trompette comme aucun autre. Doté d’une vaste expérience, Candoli avait joué avec d’excellents groupes depuis ses études au high school. Il pouvait aussi jouer de remarquables solos.

Le batteur Stan Levey s’était joint au groupe en même temps que Max Roach en 1953. Originaire de Philadelphie, Levey avait commencé à jouer sur la Côte ouest avec Dizzy Gillespie et Charlie Parker en 1945. Levey était demeuré avec le groupe plus longtemps que n’importe quel autre batteur (trois ans), ce qui lui avait mérité le surnom de "Mr. Consistency".

Plus jeune membre du groupe, le pianiste Sonny Clark était originaire de Pittsburgh. Agé de vingt-quatre ans, Clark avait déjà joué en Europe avec le clarinettiste Buddy DeFranco. Très talentueux, Clark avait également démontré un grand potentiel comme compositeur et arrangeur.

Au cours des années, de nombreux autres musiciens de jazz s’étaient produits avec les Lighthouse All Stars, dont Shorty Rogers, Max Roach, Bud Shank, Milt Bernhart, Art Pepper, Bob Cooper, Hampton Hawes, Jimmy Giuffre, Teddy Edwards, Sonny Criss, Frank Patchen, Shelly Manne et plusieurs autres.

Pionnier jazz Cote ouest, les Lighthouse All Stars avaient pavé la voie à des musiciens comme Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Miles Davis, Stan Getz et Lee Konitz.

#jazz

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usmusiclessons · 3 months

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Discover the Joy: San Diego Music Lessons

Dive into the world of music with our San Diego music lessons. Our skilled instructors offer personalized guidance in piano, voice, drums, guitar, and more. Whether you're a beginner or looking to refine your skills, we cater to all levels and ages. Join us at U.S. Music Lessons for an inspiring and enjoyable musical journey. Visit: www.usmusiclessons.com/

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mirandamosley · 12 days

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Miranda Mosley CV

Professional Resume

2018 - PRESENT Piano teaching/accompanying. Demo CD Handel & Bach. Plans for local concerts; folk music research.

2018 – COMMUNITY ACTION, London. Campaign to removal two Telegraph Masts from Local Community. One successful. [collecting signatures, letters to power – and meetings aiding Constituents in lawsuit against telecoms company].

2015-16 SHADOW CABINET GOVERNMENT - Assistant to Welsh Labour MP; Organised music concerts, events and meetings for MPs, journalists, parliamentary groups, stakeholders and local party members; diary management; running the MP’s Westminster office; submitting monthly parliamentary expenses.

2014 - ART FOR SCHOOLS - Designed all posters and leaflets for two years; Created two theatre sets for drama productions.

2010-15 MUSICAL ACCOMPANIST; Accompanist, privately for instrumentalists and singers, mostly classical and musical theatre, and also for a time at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music, London. Accompanist, for female student a’capella group, choirs incl. at Dance Works; incl. musical theatre auditions and working with actors. Organist & choir rehearsal organiser/director - St Edmunds Church, Loughton, Essex;

Rehearsal pianist/recording for theatre piece - Frieda and Diego the musical (Ivo Mosley) Recording of Yiddish folk songs at RADA for Jacob Gordin Project with singer, and working with players for Mozart operas, chorus singing and choir rehearsals for the Dorset Opera and The University of Bristol (*Bristol Music Club, Victoria Rooms*; soprano and piano concerts at Selwyn College Cambridge and Southwark Cathedral. Piano concerts in Loughton, raising money for Children in Need. Accompanist for comedy group at comedy club in North London, Little Venice. At St Paul’s Covent Garden – Keyboard for singer for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

Piano meeting – Italy - San Danielle Del Fruili – Solo piano lessons and concert; solo concerts in Orkney, on Orkney radio and St Andrews; Repetiteur/accompanist - Italian Opera Summer School in Puglia. French summer school 2003 & 2006..

MUSIC TEACHING Piano teaching to children – privately and at Cameron House School in London. Basic singing & music theory teaching.

ADMINISTRATIVE; Apprentice; The House of Commons Library, and administrative assistant for Art Curator’s Office. Accompanist for Library Choir including fundraisers and at Speaker’s House.

Student pub worker; Bristol.

2007 University of Cardiff MA in Keyboard Studies (including the development of keyboard instruments)

2006 University of Bristol BA Music including Russian literature and French units.

Awards and bursaries

Winner of Concerto Competition 2003 – piano soloist with orchestra in Krakow Polish Academy of Music.

Recipient of Ladyman Bequest 2006

Recipient of Draper’s Company bursary 2006

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learnmusicwithshaun · 2 months

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Master the Keys: Online Piano Lessons in San Diego

One of the key advantages of online piano lessons is the flexibility they afford. In a bustling city like San Diego, where traffic congestion and busy schedules are common challenges, the convenience of learning from home is invaluable. Whether you're a busy professional, a parent juggling multiple responsibilities, or a student with a packed academic schedule, online piano lessons allow you to fit music education into your life on your own terms. No longer do you have to rush across town to make it to a lesson on time; instead, you can simply log in from your computer or tablet and start playing.

Moreover, online piano lessons offer a level of customization that traditional lessons cannot always provide. With a diverse array of instructors available, Online Piano Lessons San Diego students in San Diego have the opportunity to find the perfect match for their learning style and musical goals. Whether you're interested in classical repertoire, jazz improvisation, or pop and contemporary music, there's a teacher out there who can help you reach your full potential. Additionally, many online platforms offer resources such as sheet music, instructional videos, and practice exercises, allowing students to supplement their lessons and progress at their own pace.

Another benefit of online piano lessons is the ability to connect with instructors and fellow students from around the world. While San Diego boasts a vibrant local music community, online learning opens up a whole new world of collaboration and inspiration. Through virtual recitals, masterclasses, and forums, students can share their progress, receive feedback, and learn from others in ways that transcend geographic boundaries. Whether you're a beginner seeking encouragement or an advanced player looking to refine your skills, the online piano community offers support and camaraderie at every stage of the journey.

Of course, Online Piano Lessons LA one of the most compelling reasons to pursue online piano lessons in San Diego is the quality of instruction available. From conservatory-trained virtuosos to seasoned professionals with years of teaching experience, the city boasts a wealth of talented musicians who are eager to share their knowledge and passion for the piano. Whether you're just starting out or looking to take your playing to the next level, you can find expert guidance and mentorship right at your fingertips.

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chrisryanspeaks · 2 months

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Tokyo Police Club Announce Farewell Tour Dates and Share Last Songs

In January, Tokyo Police Club announced their decision to disband following a final farewell tour. The Canadian group has now unveiled the details of this tour, which will conclude with four performances at Toronto's History. Find the tour dates listed below. Additionally, Tokyo Police Club has released their last two tracks, produced by Jesse Turnbull at Toronto's Taurus Recording. The songs, titled “Just a Scratch” and “Catch Me If You Can,” are available for listening below. Tokyo Police Club, comprising vocalist and bassist Dave Monks, guitarist and keyboardist Graham Wright, drummer Greg Alsop, and guitarist Josh Hook, was formed in Ontario in the mid-2000s. The band first caught attention with EPs like A Lesson in Crime and Smith, leading to their debut album, Elephant Shell, in 2008. They subsequently released three more albums: Champ in 2010, Forcefield in 2014, and TPC in 2018. Josh Hook reflected on the journey, saying, "We've been incredibly lucky and honored to share our music and to experience so many personal moments with our fans, from graduations and birthdays to onstage proposals. Seeing familiar faces from our early tours and connecting with so many over nearly two decades is a true privilege. This final tour is the ultimate retirement celebration we could have hoped for. We're profoundly grateful for everyone who has joined us on this incredible journey." 07-04 Ottawa, Ontario - Ottawa Bluesfest 08-01 Halifax, Nova Scotia - Marquee Ballroom 08-03 Saint John, New Brunswick - Area 506 Festival 09-14 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom 09-17 Calgary, Alberta - The Palace Theatre 09-18 Edmonton, Alberta - Midway Music Hall 09-20 Seattle, WA - The Crocodile 09-21 Portland, OR - Revolution Hall 09-23 San Francisco, CA - August Hall 09-24 Santa Ana, CA - The Observatory 09-25 Los Angeles, CA - The Regent Theater 09-28 San Diego, CA - House of Blues San Diego 09-29 Mesa, AZ - The Nile Theater 10-30 Denver, CO - Summit 11-01 Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater 11-02 Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre 11-03 Chicago, IL - House of Blues Chicago 11-05 St. Louis, MO - The Pageant 11-07 Dallas, TX - The Echo Lounge & Music Hall 11-08 San Antonio, TX - Aztec Theatre 11-09 Austin, TX - Emo’s 11-11 Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theatre 11-12 Charleston, SC - Music Farm 11-14 Washington, D.C. - The Howard Theatre 11-15 Philadelphia, PA - Brooklyn Bowl 11-16 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club 11-19 New York, NY - Irving Plaza 11-26 Toronto, Ontario - History * 11-27 Toronto, Ontario - History * 11-28 Toronto, Ontario - History ^ 11-29 Toronto, Ontario - History # Read the full article

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audiofuzz · 2 months

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Tokyo Police Club Announce Farewell Tour Dates and Share Last Songs

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ruggiethethuggie · 1 year

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for @eatbugsrugster - June 14 * reference is this post cause i have a big ole birthday encyclopedia. post is not original thoughts. excerpts will be cited.

June 14th The Birthday of the Supervisor | "I am living the dream."

Life Lesson: Resisting the urge to always take charge. The Way Forward: To understand that sometimes the only way to empower people is for them to learn from their own mistakes. Luck Maker: Treat all people, whatever their status, as important- a less important person today might one day hold the key to your good fortune.

Those born on June 14 often have a desire to take the lead. They have the ability to observe what is going on around them, and sum up quickly what needs to be done and who should do it. Their self-confidence means they find it impossible to stand on the sidelines. With strong personal opinions and a compulsion to take action to reach their goals, they are capable of outstanding success. They make charismatic leaders, but their actions can be perceived as bossy and abrupt, and, whenever challenged, they can become confrontational. It is important they make a concerted effort to become aware of the damaging impact their blunt force can arouse in others. Born CEOs, they love all things to do with the media and can excel in publishing, music, film, journalism, videos and influencing. They make gifted business leaders and their competitive nature draws them to sport, sales, the military, education, politics, social-media influencing, commerce, entrepreneurship and business. They should ensure they allow themselves plenty of time to relax and switch off and that they take vacations instead of working through them. For self care, wearing, meditating on and surrounding yourself with shades of green will encourage you to find a balance between your own feelings and the feelings of others. The lives of these people are busy and full of admirers, and their loved ones often feel they have no time for them. Until the age of 37 the focus is on emotional security, and they try to develop a greater awareness of and consideration for the feelings of others. After 37 they have even greater self-confidence and need to ensure their directness does not tip over into arrogance, as this alienates others. Once they learn to respect the sensitivities of others, they have the potential to be outstanding supervisors, leaders and contributors to whatever field they choose to devote their forthright opinions and common sense intellect to. Once they have learned the difference between opinion and fact, their destiny is to do what they do best: lead, motivate and inspire others.

#~.birthdays #♦ june 14 #not my own writing #encyclopedia of birthdays

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blatantlybluntblog · 3 months

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youtube

Freeman - 2am In San Diego (Official Music Video)

Some raw and honest upfront lyrics from the Bay Area-based rapper who talks deeply about the struggles and lessons learned living independently in San Diego.

Check out more of his stuff at https://linktr.ee/forever.freeman

#youtube #california #hip hop #bay area #lyrical

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ausetkmt · 4 months

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Background information

Birth name Leslie Coleman McCann

Born September 23, 1935 Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.

Died December 29, 2023 (aged 88) Los Angeles, California,

U.S.Genres

Jazz, soul jazz

Occupation(s)Musician Instrument(s) Piano,vocals

Years active 1959–2018

Leslie Coleman McCann (September 23, 1935 – December 29, 2023) was an American jazz pianist and vocalist.[1] He is known for his innovations in soul jazz and his 1969 recording of the protest song "Compared to What". His music has been widely sampled in hip hop.

Early life

Leslie Coleman McCann was born in Lexington, Kentucky, on September 23, 1935.[2] He grew up in a musical family with three sisters, most of whom sang in church choirs.[3][4] His father was a fan of jazz music and his mother was known to hum opera tunes around the house.[4]

As a youth, McCann played the tuba and drums and performed in his school's marching band.[3][4] As a pianist, he was largely self-taught.[5] He explained that he only received piano lessons for a few weeks as a six-year-old before his teacher died.[3]

McCann attended Los Angeles City College, which was highly influential to his musical career.[6] At the age of 17, he joined the U.S. Navy in San Diego.[6]

Career

During his service in the Navy, McCann won a singing contest, which led to an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.[1] After leaving the Navy, McCann moved to California and played in his own trio.[5] He declined an offer to work in Cannonball Adderley's band so that he could dedicate himself to his own music.[5] The trio's first job was at the Purple Onion club in 1959 accompanying Gene McDaniels.[3]

McCann (left) with the Les McCann Trio (Herbie Lewis and Ron Jefferson), 1962

The main part of McCann's career began in the early 1960s, when he recorded as a pianist with his trio for Pacific Jazz.[7] In 1969, Atlantic released Swiss Movement, an album recorded with saxophonist Eddie Harris and trumpeter Benny Bailey earlier at that year's Montreux Jazz Festival.[8] The album contained the song "Compared to What"; both reached the Billboard pop charts. The song, which criticized the Vietnam War, was written by Eugene McDaniels years earlier and recorded and released as a ballad by McCann in 1966 on his album, Les McCann Plays the Hits. Roberta Flack's version appeared as the opening track on her debut album First Take (1969).[9][10]

After the success of Swiss Movement, McCann, primarily a piano player, emphasized his vocals. He became an innovator in soul jazz, merging jazz with funk, soul and world rhythms. His music was influential for its use of electric piano, clavinet and synthesizer.[11]

In 1971, McCann and Harris were part of a group of soul, R&B and rock performers–including Wilson Pickett, the Staple Singers, Santana and Ike & Tina Turner–who flew to Accra, Ghana, to perform a 14-hour concert for more than 100,000 Ghanaians. The March 6 concert was recorded for the documentary film Soul to Soul.[12] In 2004, the movie was released on DVD with an accompanying soundtrack album.[13]

McCann had a stroke in the mid-1990s,[7] but he returned to music in 2002, when Pump it Up was released, and continued to release music until 2018.[11] He also exhibited his work as a painter and photographer.[1]

Death

McCann died from pneumonia in a Los Angeles hospital on December 29, 2023, at the age of 88.[6]

Legacy

McCann's recordings have been widely sampled in hip hop music, mostly in the 1990s and 2000s, by nearly 300 acts.[11][14] These include A Tribe Called Quest, Cypress Hill, De La Soul, the Notorious B.I.G., Sean Combs, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Nas, Mary J. Blige, the Pharcyde, Eric B. & Rakim, Mobb Deep, Gang Starr and Raekwon.[11][15]

Discography

Source:[16][better source needed]

As leader

Les McCann Ltd. Plays the Truth (Pacific Jazz, 1960)

Les McCann Ltd. Plays the Shout (Pacific Jazz, 1960; Sunset, 1970)

Les McCann Ltd. in San Francisco (Pacific Jazz, 1961)

Pretty Lady (Pacific Jazz, 1961)

Les McCann Sings (Pacific Jazz, 1961)

Somethin' Special with Richard "Groove" Holmes (Pacific Jazz, 1962)

Les McCann Ltd. in New York (Pacific Jazz, 1962)

On Time (Pacific Jazz, 1962)

The Gospel Truth (Pacific Jazz, 1963)

Les McCann Ltd. Plays the Shampoo (Pacific Jazz, 1963)

McCanna (Pacific Jazz, 1963)

Jazz Waltz with the Jazz Crusaders (Pacific Jazz, 1963)

Spanish Onions (Pacific Jazz, 1964)

McCann/Wilson with Gerald Wilson (Pacific Jazz, 1964)

Soul Hits (Pacific Jazz, 1964)

Beaux J. Pooboo (Limelight, 1965)

But Not Really (Limelight, 1965)

Les McCann Plays the Hits (Limelight, 1966)

A Bag of Gold (Pacific Jazz, 1966)

Live at Shelly's Manne-Hole (Limelight, 1966)

Live at Bohemian Caverns–Washington, D.C. (Limelight, 1967)

Bucket o' Grease (Limelight, 1967)

From the Top of the Barrel (Pacific Jazz, 1967)

More or Les McCann (World Pacific, 1969)

Much Les (Atlantic, 1969)

Swiss Movement with Eddie Harris (Atlantic, 1969)

New from the Big City (World Pacific, 1970)

Comment (Atlantic, 1970)

Second Movement with Eddie Harris (Atlantic, 1971)

Invitation to Openness (Atlantic, 1972)

Talk to the People (Atlantic, 1972)

Live at Montreux (Atlantic, 1973)

Layers (Atlantic, 1973)

Another Beginning (Atlantic, 1974)

Doldinger Jubilee '75 (Atlantic, 1975)

Hustle to Survive (Atlantic, 1975)

River High, River Low (Atlantic, 1976)

Music Lets Me Be (ABC/Impulse!, 1977)

Change, Change, Change (ABC/Impulse!, 1977)

The Man (A&M, 1978)

Tall, Dark & Handsome (A&M, 1979)

The Longer You Wait (Jam, 1983)

Music Box (Jam, 1984)

Road Warriors with Houston Person (Greene Street, 1984)

Butterfly (Stone, 1988)

Les Is More (Night, 1990)

On the Soul Side (MusicMasters, 1994)

Listen Up! (MusicMasters, 1996)

Pacifique with Joja Wendt (MusicMasters, 1998)

How's Your Mother? (32 Jazz, 1998)

Pump It Up (ESC, 2002)

Vibrations: Funkin' Around Something Old Something New (Jazz Legend Project) (Leafage Jazz/Pony Canyon, 2003)

The Shout (American Jazz Classics, 2011)

28 Juillet (Fremeaux, 2018)[citation needed]

#Les McCann #Jazz #Pianist #Composer #Les McCann Trio #compared to what #Swiss Movement

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