Here are some choice blog posts I did for the Free Music Archive a few years back (2009, that was so long ago!)
6.29.2009
Pandora Records: Variations on a Theme
Pandora Records is one of the more recent new additions to the Free Music Archive. The label, which is now defunct, had an extensive library of classical music -- posted here under an EFF License -- that I have been rummaging through with the hopes of bringing the cream of the crop to everyone here at the FMA. So now I present to you the first of many more works recorded for the Pandora label.
I’ve chosen to start out with a piece written for two pianos. I’ve always had an affinity for piano…always wishing my parents had molded me into one of those child prodigy piano virtuosos, who play repetoire like Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev at age 8, but instead I chose to play viola and the rest is history. Anyway, what could be better than one piano but two? Pandora has a wide selection of works for two pianos by the duo pianists Neal and Nancy O’Doan. I did a quick google/wikipedia search on these two but was unable to find any dirt on them. So here is what I know from listening to their recordings: The pair are very sensitive to each other; balancing their individual sounds off of one another. One pianist will take off on a scale run while the other plays a lyrical melody all while making a seamless transitions in the music; It’s almost as if it’s one player (Liszt anyone?). Don’t believe me? Take a listen for yourself.
The first work from the duo I’ve chosen to bring to the FMA is Lutoslawski’s Variations On a Theme by Paganini. The piece is just under five minutes, but explores the theme in depth in a variety of different lights. It’s definitely worth a listen, so get to it!
Check back on the FMA in the coming weeks for more from Neal and Nancy O’Doan and the Pandora archives. Happy Listening!
Some recent additions to the FMA I’ve been working on are coming from a small non-profit arts organization that goes by the name Arbiter of Cultural Traditions. This organization was created in 2002 by Allen Evans as a way to preserve the late record company Arbiter. In Evans own words, the record company specialized in “saving performances by musicians both living and from the past whose work embodies classical music at it’s height”. The website of the organization offers sample tracks from many of their featured CDs…all of which will be uploaded to the FMA for your listening pleasure!
Now to the music…
This past week I uploaded a track from World Arbiter, a sub-label of Arbiter Records, that really caught my attention. Fast Blues in A is a toe-tapping, bluesy-folk improvisation on guitar performed by Reverend Gary Davis. This tune features Davis’ famous and influential finger-picking guitar style, which I found to be an addictive listen. The song hails from The Sun of Our Life: Solos, Songs, A Sermon, an album recorded between 1955 and 1957 that features many more of Rev. Gary Davis’ lively performances. The FMA only has this one little tidbit from the album for download, but fear not, the entirety of the album can be purchased online through Qualiton Imports!
8.02.2009
Zee Avi
Zee Avi is a singer-songwriter currently based out of California, but she's a worldy woman. Originally born in Borneo, she moved to Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia when she was a teen and then, for a time, she lived in London while attending fashion design school. And Zee has just as many musical influences as places she's lived. She cites vocal jazz artists like Billie Holiday, Doris Day, and Ella Fitzgerald and folk artists from the 60's and 70's as some of her many influences.
One of the most interesting things about her, though, is how she got her start in the music business. Zee was discovered on youtube by Patrick Keeler of The Raconteurs. Keeler stumbled upon a video of Zee performing her original song "No Christmas For Me" which had become a hit on the video uploading site. Keeler showed the clip to Ian Montone of Monotone Records and encouraged him to reach out to the young, budding musician. Contacts were made and the rest is history.
This past June, Zee Avi dropped by WFMU to perform a few of her tunes on Irene Trudel's show. A few choice tracks have made it onto the FMA and are definitely worth a listen. While chatting with Irene, Avi talked about her unique sound...
"My songs sound very different from eachother...I think it all comes from my personal ecclectic pool of influences. It's hard to categorize my music, when people ask me what kind of stuff I play I just tell them acoustic, folk, and jazz..."
Zee Avi's debut album is out now on Brushfire/Monotone Records.
I’ve chosen to start out with a piece written for two pianos. I’ve always had an affinity for piano…always wishing my parents had molded me into one of those child prodigy piano virtuosos, who play repetoire like Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev at age 8, but instead I chose to play viola and the rest is history. Anyway, what could be better than one piano but two? Pandora has a wide selection of works for two pianos by the duo pianists Neal and Nancy O’Doan. I did a quick google/wikipedia search on these two but was unable to find any dirt on them. So here is what I know from listening to their recordings: The pair are very sensitive to each other; balancing their individual sounds off of one another. One pianist will take off on a scale run while the other plays a lyrical melody all while making a seamless transitions in the music; It’s almost as if it’s one player (Liszt anyone?). Don’t believe me? Take a listen for yourself.
The first work from the duo I’ve chosen to bring to the FMA is Lutoslawski’s Variations On a Theme by Paganini. The piece is just under five minutes, but explores the theme in depth in a variety of different lights. It’s definitely worth a listen, so get to it!
Check back on the FMA in the coming weeks for more from Neal and Nancy O’Doan and the Pandora archives. Happy Listening!
7.12.2009
Arbiter Channels Blues Roots
Reverend Gary Davis aka Blind Gary Davis
Now to the music…
This past week I uploaded a track from World Arbiter, a sub-label of Arbiter Records, that really caught my attention. Fast Blues in A is a toe-tapping, bluesy-folk improvisation on guitar performed by Reverend Gary Davis. This tune features Davis’ famous and influential finger-picking guitar style, which I found to be an addictive listen. The song hails from The Sun of Our Life: Solos, Songs, A Sermon, an album recorded between 1955 and 1957 that features many more of Rev. Gary Davis’ lively performances. The FMA only has this one little tidbit from the album for download, but fear not, the entirety of the album can be purchased online through Qualiton Imports!
8.02.2009
Jazz-Folk stylings by way of an Islander
Zee Avi is a singer-songwriter currently based out of California, but she's a worldy woman. Originally born in Borneo, she moved to Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia when she was a teen and then, for a time, she lived in London while attending fashion design school. And Zee has just as many musical influences as places she's lived. She cites vocal jazz artists like Billie Holiday, Doris Day, and Ella Fitzgerald and folk artists from the 60's and 70's as some of her many influences.
One of the most interesting things about her, though, is how she got her start in the music business. Zee was discovered on youtube by Patrick Keeler of The Raconteurs. Keeler stumbled upon a video of Zee performing her original song "No Christmas For Me" which had become a hit on the video uploading site. Keeler showed the clip to Ian Montone of Monotone Records and encouraged him to reach out to the young, budding musician. Contacts were made and the rest is history.
This past June, Zee Avi dropped by WFMU to perform a few of her tunes on Irene Trudel's show. A few choice tracks have made it onto the FMA and are definitely worth a listen. While chatting with Irene, Avi talked about her unique sound...
"My songs sound very different from eachother...I think it all comes from my personal ecclectic pool of influences. It's hard to categorize my music, when people ask me what kind of stuff I play I just tell them acoustic, folk, and jazz..."
Zee Avi's debut album is out now on Brushfire/Monotone Records.
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