Who is the greatest left-handed guitarist? Jimi Hendrix? Paul McCartney, Albert King, Omar Rodriguez- Lopez, or Dick Dale? Someone else? Here is somehting beautiful for your left hand!
Photos courtesy of Guitar world and Iconguitar.com
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He was brilliant. Kind. Modest. Hilarious. Everybody’s grandpa. Of course, he made all those amazing recordings/played all those fantastic concerts/won all those Grammys playing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for more than 50 years! Of course, he was the founding member and only trombonist of the CSO Brass Quintet with Adolph ‘Bud’ Herseth, Vincent Cichowicz, Richard Oldberg, Arnold Jacobs (and a few others), that many consider to have been the ,most influential brass quintet ever.
Lesson With Frank Crisafulli-Legato Studies
IS THIS THE AMONG THE ONLY RECORDED
1. LESSONS WITH FRANK CRISAFULLI
?
Audio recordings of Lesson with Frank Crisafulli Copyright 2024 David William Brubeck. All rights reserved.
“Alright, a couple of little things.”
“First of all, all these little crescendo-diminuendos. I want you to be a little more careful about how you interpret that.”
“For instance, toward the end here on this Forte, you begin to come down-(singing in measure 28 ).”
“It should be to (singing), to the Bb there, and then you make your diminuendo there.”
“And the same here with all these, (referring to measure five, at the top), it’s not (singing to crescendo at the second note), but (singing to crescendo at the third note). It’s a very different thing!”
“It’s very nice that you observe these markings. They generally mean what they say, although not always-sometimes they are carelessly done. But it does sound better to go (to the third note), and you’ll notice that he has that dash on that (third note), that means he wants it more important.”
“And also, when you start out, know what you are going to do! After all, there are three bars and a half of rest-so something has been going on. So when you start, don’t start with (sings just a dubious start of the initial pitch), but start (sings a full-voiced, passionate iteration of the first notes with dynamics, tempo and phrasing). The tempo has already been established, but no matter, even if you start at the beginning-never play unless you have in your mind exactly what you are going to do with the phrase. And then carry it out, no matter what!”
“Studies in Legato”, edited by Reginald H. Fink-the assistant to trombone genius, Emory Remington.
“You know, we have an advantage when we are in an orchestra, especially if we have a good conductor, because he never just does this to you (a generic cue). He knows what it’s going to be, and then you know exactly (what it’s going to be) and the whole group can do the same thing.”
“But no, when we are alone, we start playing and THEN we decide what we’re going to do.
It should all be in there before you ever start playing, so that (inhales a relaxed breath and enjoys the exhalation.”
“Let’s try it again. Play it right from the beginning” Sings along. “That’s nice!” Singing more”. A little more than the first time.” Singing more. “A little louder.” Sings.
“This is all in mezzo-Forte. So, stay there! Still mezzo-Forte!” Sings. “Softer, and breath in here.” Sings. “Yes!”
After all, there’s no point in sitting there and trying to hold it when you don’t have any breath. And with accompaniment, which I am sure there would be on this, there would be any number of places where you can easily phrase a breath into it. But it is much more sensible to breath and enjoy playing to the end that (simulates air running out), because you don’t learn anything from that.”
“Now that’s nice! It takes just a little more care, but it should become natural to you to phrase this way, you know? Otherwise, they are nothing but (sings fragmented notes). You know, a little something indicated and nothing happening.”
“That was nice. I like that.”
“I was also able to give you movement so you don’t dawdle!”
“You know, I dislike very much fooling around too much with tempos/rhythms unless it’s asked for, a rubato here or a little bit there, perhaps.”
“But otherwise, I think it’s nicer to have a pulse always that’s there and then the rest is articulation and dynamics. Just like that, you know? And that’s musical. But to let the tempos die, and bring them back and then usually they die and keep dying. Anyhow, then it becomes harder work to play through it, too. It seems to never end, ‘cause we are clawing our way through it rather than moving easily through it.”
Professor Frank Crisafulli, in his lakeside studio at Northwestern University-Evanston, where he attended as a student and served as Professor of Trombone for many years. (Photo by David William Brubeck c. 1989-1997 David William Brubeck All Rights Reserved)
Audio recordings of Lesson with Frank Crisafulli Copyright 2024 David William Brubeck. All rights reserved.
“That’s very nice playing. It’s not an easy etude, you know. All right, good playing.”
Student Brubeck, “The first time, maybe a little the second, the first notes, I had trouble.
Crisafulli, “Yeah! Because you’re not ready to play! “You play up to the first note, and don’t expect it to sound. You should play, in your mind, the whole phrase before you start.”
(Sings the first portion of the phrase richly), “Not just, bah” (sings half the first note, tepidly)
And then what?”
“No, no.”
“Again, in your practicing, don’t just look for that first note. Look for the phrase and carry it off even if you don’t feel absolutely at ease with the first note, because if you get in the habit of always stopping unless its perfect, you only create a bigger hurdle to get over each time. Pretty soon, that first note becomes an obstacle rather than the beginning of a nice phrase to carry through.”
“Ok?”
“Do a little bit like that. I know that you want to be perfect, but shucks, sometimes I think we’re better off if we accept something a little less and enjoy it very much-if we minimize some of these things that become difficult for us. And for no reason-WE make them that way.”
“Alright, very good.”
“Studies in Legato” is the second book I would recommend to all young trombonists!
It is a masterfully curated collection of wonderfully musical melodies from Italian vocal composers Concone and Marchesi in addition to German violinist and composer Heinrich Panofka. The editor, Reginald H. Fink, was the assistant to the great genius and Professor of Trombone at The Eastman School of Music, Emory Remington, and a significant musician and teacher in his own right.
Nestled in the book, one finds four excellent articulation studies on repeated notes, without significant slide movement. The detailed, concise and inspired discussion of articulation here only gives pause for a moment when one hopes that the option “Thah” will not be overdone, while marveling at the beautiful pedagogy reflected in the inclusion of “Dah”, “Lah” and “Rah”. Just as Remington emphasized singing music and musicianship before trombone technique, these articulations foster excellent oral cavity formation and tonguing with lightness. The distinct tonguing recommendations for different registers probably reflect the use a a pivot embouchure, which are not as commonly used in the present day.
Next, are several articulation exercises which combine slide motion, from one to five positions away. The articulation marking is exquisite, combining both legato and tenuto markings, typical again of the singing, sustained and yet well-defined Eastman style. Finally, there are two exceptional breathing exercises by Emory Remington himself, one of which I have used on a daily basis for many years. The etudes themselves are wonderfully varied in almost every way imaginable given the Romantic era in which they were composed. The range is not as demanding as the Rochut transcriptions of Bordogni compositions, and a varietal palette of rhythms and key signatures are replete and well-sequenced throughout the collection.
Crisafulli. “Let’s finish it. Let’s do the rest of it, I think we reached 35. And now you have a nice (singing) fermata!”
“And,” Crisafulli breaths.
Frank Crisafulli and one of his many trombone students-David William Brubeck (Photo c. 1989-1997 David William Brubeck, All Rights Reserved.)
“A bit short, that last note- oh that’s better!
“Yes.” Singing and breathing. “Good! Good! Ah! Good”
“A little bit more. A little breath accents.” Singing. “A little but less, that’s what’s written.” Singing
“Then full!” Singing. “A little bit longer. Careful the last, now.”
“Nice. Yes. Good”
“Always be sure that when you look ahead and see a pianissimo coming that you leave room for it before hand, ok?”
“Even if you have gone to far, come. back a little bit. Then it’s comfortable. It’s nice”
“Yes, it’s a nice etude, but it must be filled.”
“That’s one time I would allow that (singers staccato longer), and I’m glad you did it not (sungs second note clipped), not the dot but (sings longer) and that makes even room for a breath if you want to.”
“Bravo!”
“What Concone is this? The 40 studies or something? “
Student Brubeck, “This is a book I stumbled upon. Fink. I was looking for something for my high school students.
Crisafulli, sees cover and recognizes the book, “Oh yes, right.”
Student Brubeck, “It doesn’t have the range of a ‘Rochut’.”
Crisafulli “And you know something though, they are not easy bevause they lie right where you have to travel the most for the botes in the staff with the slide. And yet, it’s an excellent opporrubity to (sings daaaah), let the air take over and not react to the slide.”
I LOVE FRANK CRISAFULLI.
FRANK CRISAFULLI OOZED MUSIC AND PASSIONATELY LOVED IT! Frank Crisafulli spoke English only tangentially in lessons, and sang throughout! He sang on no fewer than 21 occasions in this brief 12-minute excerpt. Not only was he encouraging the student to pre-hear the music in the manner of Arnold Jacobs, but he was modeling it by singing in the manner of Emory Remington.
FRANK CRISAFULLI WAS POSITIVE!His demeanor was stern a few times and passionate at others, but overwhelmingly kind. He offered no fewer than 16 positive comments and compliments to the student in just under 12 minutes.
FRANK CRISAFULLI USED REPETITION Whether emphasizing musicality, more vibrant rhythm, or to fully hear the entire phrase before projecting it confidently, he returned to his major theses. Crisafulli used the playing at hand (second-person), his own experience (first person), and the hypothetical youngsters-(third person), to illustrate his refrains with additional perspective and variation.
FRANK CRISAFULLI WAS MUSICAL ABOVE ALL ELSE!More than 18 times in the lesson he observed, anticipated, commented on, complimented or encouraged musicality. Quite often, he did so with great detail and subtlety! Dynamics, articulation, a breath for phrasing, eveness, tempo, mood and confidence. His musicality was downright infectious!
FRANK CRISAFULLI EMBODIED SONG AND WIND. And added the subtlety of never allowing the slide to interfere with the air. A gifted ‘cellist, he made numerous innovative comparisons between the bow and the breath, and was spectacular at evincing evenness throughout the registers in both sound and approach, partially owing to his experience with ‘cello.
CRISAFULLI ENJOYED PLAYING AND SOUGHT RELAXATION. As an undergraduate student of his, the one word I most remember hearing him say was ENJOY! I have often used it as a sign-off for my interviews and articles in honor of “Mr. C”. He unfailingly sought to enjoy playing, and part of this approach was an ease-of-playing and relaxation which may best be described as unhurried.
Article, c. 2024 David William Brubeck All rights reserved
Audio, c. 2024, David William Brubeck, All Rights reserved.
(Thanks to “Mr. C” for allowing me to record this! The acknowledgement of his genius-level and inspired musicianship and pedagogy is long overdue!)
Soli Deo Gloria
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Duo Brubeck, featuring Mitch Farber, performing Stereogram No. 6, (composed by David Brubeck),dedicated to Master Musician and trombonist Louis Satterfield of Earth Wind and Fire.
COMPLETE AUDIO
INCOMPLETE VIDEO
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“The Kiss of Venus”, as performed by Dominic Fike and written by Paul McCartney, from McCARTNEY III IMAGINED
What would the Beatles sound like today? With two gone, and the others aged, is it even a valid question? Since the great songwriting and great singing were two of the bulwarks of the iconic band, perhaps the talented Dominic Fike could provide the fresher voice to Paul McCartney’s recent composition-“The Kiss of Venus”.
If this is performance is any indication, the Beatles great singing and songwriting aspect of the formula still works! The singing and songwriting are superb, the bass suitably groovy and the guitar quite strong. Perhaps the one main difference here is the absence of Ringo’s typicalloose-in-a-good-way approach.
Emma Stone stars in McCartney’s compelling “Who Cares”, which draws upon his immense interest in design, art and helping to ease human suffering.
In an age where people WATCH music as much as they LISTEN to it, is McCartney still be able to be forward-thinking in terms of fashion or visual arts? McCartney’s “Who Cares?”, featuring Emma Stone is visually striking and poses a variety of situations where internal mental challenges become visualized and worked out.
This seems affirmative to the question, “Could a Beatle possibly contend with the visually-oriented artists of the music of today?” Paul McCartney was ever on the threshold of the avant-guard and quick to make visual statements of fashion and design beyond the associations of the visual artists prominent in his life such as best-friend and art student John Lennon, wife and photographer Linda McCartney and daughter and fashion designer Stella McCartney.
It seems that the future received a Beatle that was still musically needed! After all, it was Paul’s impetus that had guided the Sgt. Pepper album concept and it was he who almost singlehandedly initiated The Magical Mystical Tour-(An Experimental Beatles Film Tour/Album). (Was this the ancestor of Reality TV?) Not to mention the incredible design of his numerous solo projects and efforts on behalf of the group, Wings.
Who Cares? by McCartney
But what about the increasingly “song & dance” aspect of much contemporary popular music, increasingly dependent on choreography? Nowadays, EVERYONE has to move. If Elvis didn’t get the point across, successive waves of artists from Prince to Bruno Mars have.
Or possiblyNote the ever-present ringing ‘G’ repeated throughout and the many reminders of one romance he had with famous actress and redhead, Jane Asher as but two persistent reminders of his indefatigable past. Zeus may refer to Linda, and the story of her life produced by Zeus films. (Perhaps the two initial busts of Zeus indicate Mr. McCartney’s two great loves/friendships with her and John Lennon, that may have partially attempted to fill the void after the death of his mother, Mary. Zeus, John, Linda & Paul were all (at least partially), raised without a mother. In this video, the second Paul may be finally seeing himself through his own eyes, instead of through the eyes of John, Linda, Jane or even his role as a Beatle.)
McCartney’s video of My Ever Present Past
Are the urns representative of crematory urns for John and George?
Using the technique pioneered by impressionist painter Claude Monet of examining the same subject under different conditions, some exhibited photographs-(a possible references to first wife, Linda), feature depictions of guitars, and A H and-as in “I Want To hold Your Hand! The audio tracks seem to be clearly divided with a Lennon like rhythm guitar track panned left and a melodic guitar accompaniment a la Harrison panned right while the ever-present clock ticks away the present into even more past. An incomplete torsos may have another reference to his second wife, and there is very interesting re-arrangement of statuary. Even George Martin receives a nod as McCartney includes a sped up piano track which is reminiscent of the harpsichord-like sound from the “In My Life” recording. Even the drum used is a doppelgänger of Ringo’s iconic set.
The intrinsic thread of the visual artist surfaces in this somewhat surreal video which takes place in a gallery, and combines elements of multiple McCartneys seeming to reflect a dream-like state of self-examination. At the end, Paul McCartney’s pose is reminiscent of the sculpture commonly known as The Thinker by August Rodin. (Is this an invitation to ponder, through art?)
Did McCartney Save the Super Bowl Halftime Shows? Knowing that Little Richard befriended the Beatles and especially loved Paul, you can hear the echo of the man they call the “Architect” of Rock ‘n’ Roll” re-emerge at various time throughout the entire history of McCartney’s career. One of my favorites: While it was Michael Jackson who re-invented the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 1993, and Prince who Perfected it in 2007, Prince could not have done so without a little help from God in the form of the natural special effects of lightning and rain AND Paul McCartney who may have saved the very existence of Super Bowl Halftime Shows in 2005! Who else but McCartney could guarantee a grand-slam, professional, half-time solo performance after the Timberlake/Janet Jackson controversy? Does anyone else echos of Little Richard in the doo, doo, doo doo of Baby You Can Drive my Car?
HALF-TIME XXXIX
APPRECIATE: A MASTERPIECE OF AN INTEGRATED PERSON, ARTIST AND GRANDFATHER
McCartney’s ten-year-old collaboration with Microsoft, Appreciate, combines his fully-human approach to art, while being forward-thinking at the same time.
0:12 the date is 31 August 3116, as a Robot/AI has enters the Museum of Man. The implication seems to be that mankind is no longer extant. (How could this be? How could it have happened? Did Robots attack? Or did mankind simply discard and ignore everything human?)
0:33 The first exhibit we see in the museum is a table where a mother and her two children seem to be praying to God. Is the Robot/AI seeking his creator in the Museum of Man, just as those humans depicted are pictured are seeking their Creator in prayer? Please note: There is no man.
0:38 reveals a puppet-master who seems to be dressed from the late 1800’s; 0:43 featured bisections of the brain of man, this “dual-core processor” to which the Robot/Ai can presumably relate and may even admire.
0:56 features senior citizens playing cards. Is there a conception of time, games or even growing old amongst Robot/AI? Do AI suffer from not having to measure their days… Aspects of the panorama exhibits in the video seem to echo other great visual art works such as the painting Nighthawks, by Edward Hooper.
0:58 depicts the pleasures of working together, as a boss dictates to his secretary who uses a typing machines. Again the machines which led to the computer are present, perhaps shown here alongside a job or two the AI may have replaced, and more pleasures they cannot seem to enjoy-in this case scotch and soda. The relationship and fascination of mankind with machines and devices that led to the Robot/AI is a theme throughout: typewriters, musical instruments, cameras, etc.
1:19 As the Robot/AI from the future approaches the McCartney exhibit, the bass guitar speaks to it first! Machine to machine. Then McCartney becomes animated, and sets down his old mechanical friend for a moment to meet a new one.
One imagines the transition of mankind losing their humanity that McCartney, now a grandfather and even possibly great-grandfather may have for seen as a possibility. “Lift up your head in the middle of a crisis” McCartney seems to sing to both the Robot/AI and to the display of three young boys playing video games on a couch. Could one of the boys have had their avatar die during a video game like ‘Call of Duty’? And now have to re-enter reality as he waits for his friends to die in the virtual world? “You don’t have to give it all away”. sings McCartney- Is he referring to their humanity? “When you’re left for dead in the middle of a crisis; you must appreciate.”
2:10 The Robot/AI and McCartney clasp hands, and McCartney attempts to pull the Robot/AI into the past, but as the Robot/AI brings McCartney into this person-less dystopia as he sings, “There’s something there, but you’re fighting to invite it. Beware of pushing it away”. Later, McCartney intones, “be certain you don’t fight it; you must appreciate.” If the future seems to promise a trans-human immortality, McCartney’s art and music say no thanks! Better a short time with the joys and pleasures of humanity, than to be locked in a shell which cannot die or feel.
As the ‘bridge’ (or second melody), is sung the amount of ‘white-noise’ or ‘machine-noise’ elevates, as if the machines themselves are contributing as well. McCartney remarked that he turned the amp up as much as possible, and very lightly touched the guitar. He said something to the effect that it almost gave the impression of the guitar playing itself! This, and all the small choices of this genius and his associates, make the work remarkable.
McCartney seems to be teaching the Robot/Ai to dance throughout, and the bridge sees the humans in the exhibit spring to life in dance as well. Cards are abandoned by the seniors, work by the boss and secretary, and even a photoshoot is interrupted. Cameras are another device on the road to the Robot/AI; do AI appreciate a beautiful photo or model? A boy makes a soccer ball dance between his feet as the puppet dances for its master. Closer examination shows the elderly card players aided by oxygen, walkers and canes-devices and machines.
“Lift up your head, and remember what your life is; don’t have to give it all way”, McCartney intones as you realize almost everyone with a smart phone needs the advice–lift up your head!
3:56 The second-to-last exhibit is revealed, as people relax and eat at a diner. Can Robot/AI enjoy taste and smell? Companionship? Or is it just another pleasure lacking? Were all of these lost human activities crowded out by technology?
In the last exhibit, two men prize fight. Do Robot/AI struggle? Fight? Experience victory? Defeat? Consequence? As the two guitar solos end the song, McCartney’s Aston Martin DB6 appears, another allusion to human attachment to our machines. The young boys on the couch playing video games get into a pillow fight as they abandon the virtual for the real. Perhaps, they finally appreciate!
BEATLES GENIUS LOCI THREE:Great Instrumental MusicianshipAll The Right Heroes. While tastes may change, I sometimes wonder what would happen if, at the snap of a finger, each Beatle turned into the artist that influenced them most. In my mind, it goes something like this: John Lennon becomes Buddy Holly or Chuck Berry, George Harrison-Carl Perkins & Paul becomes Little Richard-wooo! (Now you know where he got it!). Ringo, of course; stays Ringo.
Little Richard
If each Beatle turned into their SECOND musical hero at a second snap of the fingers, I believe that McCartney’s would be an instrumentalist and not a vocalist. As bass player developing into one of the most influential bass clef instrumentalists of the 20th Century-McCartney has citedJames Jamerson as his bass-playing inspiration.
James Jameson with Stevie Wonder on I Was Made to Love Her.
Jameson was the iconic bass player from Motown who rewrote the book on the bass line as a countermelody instrument, surpassing all previous recorded bass clef players.Consider that many of your favorite Motown hits, from the Diana Ross & The Supremes to Smokey Robison & The Miracles, have Jamerson’s bass playing in common. Take into account that, while the European-oriented musician may prize expressive phrasing to unite the harmonies and melodies emphasized in much of their music, the AMERICAN musician often prizes FEEL-the rhythmic equivalent to melodic phrasing, as the highest order of musical sophistication in combining melodic and rhythmic elements.
In this, Jamerson reigns supreme, while adding unbelievably fresh rhythmic variety and complexity within the overarching balance of each song. Please note how Jamerson also masters what sometimes escapes otherwise sensitive musicians-the rhythmic release and attention to detail for the RIGHT hand side of each note, (& not only the left)!
McCartney’s Bass Isolated from the Beatle’s Something.
McCartney becomes a near-equal to Jamerson in crafting incredibly artistic and popular bass-lines. As one of the headliners who had incredible influence over writing and the recording process, McCartney used his advantage to allow the bass to become a signature sound for the Beatles, and was said to have often recorded his bass direct and/or last to increase the presence of the instrument on the recorded ‘takes’. Perhaps, McCartney’s bass-lines also become so melodic, because he began to conceive of them as more vocal, and approached them through singing. Hear McCartney SING the Bass lone is this recording from THE WHITE ALBUM-I Will!
You Never Give Me Your Money, as recorded by The Beatles.
An obvious Paul McCartney base-line masterpiece was for the Harrison composition Something from the Abbey Road album. This incredible example of linear harmony nearly stands on its own as a musical composition. At times, it is reminiscent of the incredibly melodic, yet accompanimental bass-lines such as those found in the “Air on a ‘G’ String” by J. S. Bach or other selections by classical composers.
In You Never Give Me your Money, there seem to be two recorded McCartney bass lines, and the beginning features a bass solo which adds interest while staying out of the way. Eventually, a second, more traditionally supportive bass-line is added above the beautiful “Lead-bass” solo that adds beautifully improvised ideas and variety without distracting from the pats above. In some respects, it is reminiscent of the solo-like piano accompaniments that noted jazz pianist for Benny Goodman, Teddy Wilson, used to craft for Billie Holiday on many of her great recordings.
Something, as recorded by the Beatles, written by George Harrison.
In terms of the most imitated and complimented instrumentalists from amongst the Beatles, it is definitely Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney. While admitting to less competition on bass as compared to drum set, one could imagine scenarios where McCartney eventually outpaced Starr as the most influential instrumentalist of the four Beatles.
Paper Back Writer was also a number one hit, and would have been relevant to almost everyone of the day who had access to a radio. For me, the first bass-line in a Beatles composition that embraced the mandorla of both popularity and artistic significance was Paper Back Writer. It, and the somewhat less popular Rain seem to best grasp the idea of syncopation and slightly-swung sixteenth notes. And your Bird Can Sing is in a similar vein of intention. All three recordings were part of the ground-breaking album REVOLVER.
(In Ragtime and Funk, the feel varied from a feel of a division of 4 to almost a swung unequal division of 6 divisions per beat (2/6, 1/6, 2/6, 1/6). Paper Back Writer also has that loose-in-a-good-way feel and singing approach where McCartney’s bass-line is right on the beat, but seems to surf through the notes rather than carrying the weight of the responsibility for each beat in a box-truck
Paperback Writer, as recorded by the Beatles on their album REVOLVER.
Both McCartney and Starr are of central primacy to the third Loci of Genius for the Beatles-GROOVE! While the fabulous vocals of Lennon and McCartney got the group into the door, and their songwriting made the Beatles the most successful songwriters of the 20th century, each successive remix turns up the groove laid down by McCartney and Starr in recognition of an equal genius of instrumental excellence.
BALANCING SIMPLICITY AND COMPLEXITY
Like Tchaikovsky, Ellington and other artists before them, The Beatles masterfully managed the delicate balance between simplicity and complexity. Encouraged by their producer George Martin, and left with gaps of content due to the non-traditional lead guitar role invented by Harrison, typical Beatles recordings seem to add something new to each restatement of an idea. A second voice, a new instrument, a changed groove. Track to track, the contrast of timbral palettes is often refreshing, not to mention grooves and harmonic approaches.
As a result, the recordings of Beatles rarely even approach the border of too-simple or redundant, BUT when ever one sees the horizon of such a border ahead, almost miraculously, Starr or McCartney will add a slightly different twist to their parts, often taking turns-as if through intense listening, highly honed chamber music skills, ESP or a combination of all three! Starr and McCartney are the third genius loci of the Beatles, and this third loci is as important as any of the other aspects of the tremendous success of the Beatles.
Most session/regular bass players would try to enhance songs with their bass playing. Jamerson, McCartney and Carol Kaye (of “The Wrecking Crew”-the famed Los Angeles studio session band), were among the best. Because McCartney was a composer in general and often THE composer of the music he recorded, he often used the bass as an element which would support the other musical aspects present in the recording or composition.
SPOILER: The Robot/AI in the music video Appreciate is a puppet. (And a darn good one!)
Editor’s note: This article was getting so long, that the editorial decision was made to break it into two parts, perhaps to be joined at some future point. Part of the credit goes to the ever industrious and multi-faceted Paul McCartney. One of the less-often mentioned attributes of genius is INDUSTRY, and that genius is often inauthentic, unless frequently applied.
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Juan Calderon, a beautiful composer, was kind enough to record one of my 12 “Chili Dogs” for solo guitar. Like my “Stereograms”, for solo bass trombone, each “Chili Dog” is very different from the others.
I have included a few others. “Van” is dedicated to Beethoven-of course! Listening to his piano sonatas, was the inspiration for these-believe it or not!
I hope that you enjoy these..
c. 1996-2024 David William Brubeck. All Rights Reserved
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Tommy Dorsey, James Pankow, Trombone Shorty, J. J. Johnson, Arthur Pryor and Clay Smith?
I cannot recall the author of the study, but seem to recall the conclusion well. After examining master musicians who had achieved success in their field (if not outright virtuosity), the question arose: HOW did they do it?
Specifically. did they master tone first, to the exclusion of all else? Focus only on time and intonation at the root, only to grow into excellent tone, expression and listening later?
HOW, exactly?
What did they focus on? Or, more precisely stated: What did they leave out, if only for a time?
The answers were everything and nothing. Their teachers did not leave ANYTHING out. They focused on EVERYTHING! Perhaps not all at once, but yes, everything.
This could explain a great deal.
One of two components I typically find underdeveloped in students is MUSICALITY. (The other? Time, time, time, time, time, time & time!). Echoing the great Arnold Jacobs’ summation of the musicians of my generation-“They lack artistry”, I have to concede that musicality, or its absence, is often the elephant in the room regarding the development of younger musicians.
Emotion or expression IS music, in the sense it attracts many of the most musical people to music. Expression and the communication of emotion is amongst what music does best. This is akin to the fruited plant of the garden or the flowered tree of the forrest-with the enticing scent that draws in the expressive soul. How often we are drawn to the subtle, snared by the communicative and enchanted by the expressive? The most musical are lured to and nourished by these arches of phrase and crests of dynamics that illuminate and inspire the otherwise pitilessly mathematical notes. Musicality then, increases the appetite for more music.
As a result of this line of thinking, one may arrive at this question: Why am I studying articulation in an exercise, when I could be doing so in a more musical duet? One will satisfy the yearnings of my musical soul; the other may not! And so, dear reader, you have found me out: I prefer the etude to the exercise; the solo to the scale, and the melody to the pattern.
Not only does the duet offer great melodies when alone, but the applied interaction of playing with someone else to whom you are accountable for pitch and time etc, is enthralling! And how many things are better than playing music with a friend? Like duets, solos capture this collaborative spirit, and were originally conceived and written with the intention of performance with the integrated accompaniment!
Both solos with piano and duos should often be read from the score, to more fully understand the entire scope of music-making, and as a gateway to score-reading. Yes, duets and solos! How many an operatic accompanist has parlayed their piano-playing into becoming a world-class maestro like George Solti? Legion!
This leads me to Clay Smith- a man who made his living playing trombone solos, and wrote more than a few. I have particularly enjoyed many Barnhouse publications in the past. They have produced high quality editions and were quite pleasant in their communications. Long ago, Barnhouse graciously gave me permission to publish one solo by Clay Smith on my Website. As we finally do so, we thank them, once again!
Like many, I believe these to be an essential collection of solos that help bridge the gap between etudes or exercises and more elaborate and traditional solo repertoire. Best wishes with these highly imaginative solos or, some might say, duos with piano! Play as many as you can, as expressively as you are able, and frequently with piano alongside.
This is my first selection for “Trombone Books I Recommend!” Enjoy…
Notorious! Pan is the goat-legged demigod of ancient Greco-Roman lore. Amorous? He is seemingly often in pursuit of a fair maiden or nymph. Disastrous. As he chased an unwilling nymph-Syrinx; she changed her self into river-reeds, lest he catch her. Sonorous: despondent at the escape pf his newfound “love”, Pan severs the selfsame river-reeds to fashion his iconic flute. Ruinous-poor Syrinx is now his mournful pipe and always at his lips.
(Odorous, goat-breath!)
Claude Debussy and Andreas Blau pause to reflect on the tragedy in terms most rhapsodious…
The mournful tones of this masterpiece by Debussy seem to cry out in sympathy for the losses of Syrinx.
Syrinx may yet serve as a metaphor for each individual instrumentalist who sacrifices their lives to embody music. If spending six hours or more per day alone in a practice room is an approximation of turning one-self into reeds or, our very instruments, then many of us have paid the price of Syrinx.
As we aspire to become “Storytellers-of-Sound”, ad proscribed by Arnold Jacobs, do we not become the living embodiment or the voice of our instruments as we spin our scales of “ro”?
c. 2024 David William Brubeck. All Rights Reserved
