The trip to Atlantic City last Friday was quick but fun. My friend MyCatTom and I yakked away for the entire trip up and the entire trip back which made the drive seem really short. We rehearsed in the afternoon and did the concert that night. The various "Swingettes" came from DC, NY, Philadelphia, North Carolina, and Atlantic City. I enjoyed playing with all of them. There wasn't much free time, but I was able to hobble on down to the beach. It was unbelievably cold and windy there. On the way home the road was extremely well-lit by an enormous full moon.
The things you can buy in New Jersey!
Why is the beach so pink?
I guess I was walking around in the Red Light District
We saw this on the way home. Too bad they were closed!The Messiah rehearsal and concert over on Kent Island last weekend went well. But I had to get up at the crack of dawn, which not exactly my favorite time of day.
Sunrise on the Severn
This must be the Great Wye Oak's great grandson.I'm totally finished with school for the semester. I really enjoyed teaching my class, but I'm glad I don't have to do it next semester because my own course load is going to be much larger than it was this fall.
I'm playing a musical adaptation of Theodore Roethke's poem "The Waking" for December graduation at UMD tomorrow. Just me and a singer. She has a beautiful voice and it's a pretty cool piece. The bass part works great in the original "guy" key but the transposed bass part lies in a kind of awkward and less resonant area of the bass, so there's no way to make it sound as good as the recording. Even the bass player on the recording would not be able to sound as good in the key I'm doing it in. So that's a little frustrating, but I think the over all effect will still be nice. I haven't played in a hall as big as the Comcast Center for a few years so I'm looking forward to that as well. We had the soundcheck this morning and the sound guy is great. I'm digging the reverb - a lot! Anyway, here's the original version of the piece, in the original, more resonant key.
I'm playing a musical adaptation of Theodore Roethke's poem "The Waking" for December graduation at UMD tomorrow. Just me and a singer. She has a beautiful voice and it's a pretty cool piece. The bass part works great in the original "guy" key but the transposed bass part lies in a kind of awkward and less resonant area of the bass, so there's no way to make it sound as good as the recording. Even the bass player on the recording would not be able to sound as good in the key I'm doing it in. So that's a little frustrating, but I think the over all effect will still be nice. I haven't played in a hall as big as the Comcast Center for a few years so I'm looking forward to that as well. We had the soundcheck this morning and the sound guy is great. I'm digging the reverb - a lot! Anyway, here's the original version of the piece, in the original, more resonant key.
7 comments:
Thank you so much for introducing me to Kurt Elling. He is an amazing artist. Donna and I enjoy reading your blog. You are a talented writer. Best of luck playing at the graduation. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
I always love your pictorals. Devil piercing huh? I wonder how drunk people have to be to think that looks like a good idea...
Willis - Thanks!
Kate - Maybe people stop by there on the way back to the Turnpike to celebrate their winnings in Atlantic City. To put another notch on their belt, so to speak.
Private Willis, err, umm, Lyle, Happy Holidays also to you and Donna!
Very cool piece. There's not that much written for solo bass with solo voice, is there? How did they pick that piece?
Barbara - The singer said she just happened to come across it on YouTube and then she found another version with a girl singing it for a graduation ceremony, so it seemed like a good choice. And it is one of her favorite poems.
Good luck, and happy holidays, chica! Glad to have you back!
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