Whether or not you know it by name, the drum break from “Amen Brother,” recorded by the Winstons in the late 1960’s, has been everywhere in music you have heard. Here is an excellent overview of its use throughout the… Continue Reading
Roughly three millennia before the standardization of western musical notation, the Hurrians had recorded transcriptions of some 36 hymns. Presumably, their language was dying; and this may have been part of an attempt to preserve an aspect of their culture.… Continue Reading
Cry Baby: The Pedal That Rocks The World from Joey Tosi on Vimeo.
We know that Mr. Zappa’s forte was staging amazing tours. In this excerpt from a recorded interview, he stresses the importance of holding your bandmates to high standards.
Today the world says goodbye to Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman. Slayer are, as I mentioned in my History of Metal, the one group in thrash’s “Big Four” that seem to have maintained the highest level of credibility among listeners throughout… Continue Reading
For whatever reasons, Dave Brubeck is often overlooked by purists when recounting the greatest artists of jazz. But his legacy is nearly as impactful as any artist of the last century, and his music easily as inspiring. I first encountered… Continue Reading
I would expect any jazz student to be familiar with the Charlie Parker Omnibook, a compendium of transcriptions of heads and solos by the seminal altoist. It is an essential tool for any performer interested in building a bebop vocabulary.… Continue Reading
As I began watching this, I felt sorry for the guy. Maybe it’s his first show. Maybe he just replaced someone else and he was rushed into this gig without much time to learn the material. But the fact that… Continue Reading
Let’s ignore that the music is a throwback to the smooth 90’s. These guys can jam. And the bassist is apparently eleven years old. I have seem some jaded reactions to this performance, along the lines of, “Let’s see… Continue Reading