Clark Media Productions is a place for me to share my love of audio production, music, trombone, and music technology. Subscribe to my email list for late breaking blog posts, videos, and educational content!
Take a listen: "Razor of Love"
There's not many times I find a new (to me) artist I'm that excited about. Many of you have probably heard Sean Rowe (pronounced like "how"). A native of Troy, NY, I just love this guys music. His voice, writing, and performing are fantastic.
One more:
"Madman"
It has been a number of years since I was an usher at the Metropolitan Opera. Those years were wonderful, and I have so many good memories of music that shaped who I am, musically, today. So, it was with great delight that I had the chance to attend the Dallas Opera's production, and world premiere run, of Everest, by Joby Talbot. First of all, I must admit to never being enamored with modern opera. I heard a few over the years (Moses and Aron at the Met comes to mind), but none of the music or productions really grabbed me. When my father told me Dallas Opera was doing a new opera based on the events portrayed by John Krakauer in Into Thin Air, my immediate thought was one of, "Huh???"
Well, I must admit, you can take a compelling story, set it to digestible and effective music, and pair it with a simple but amazingly effective production and libretto, and the experience was stunning.
First, the music... Joby Talbot's score was very film-like to me in nature. There are lots of textures and effects, but also some beautiful melodies. I thought the scoring complemented the singers very well, never covering them in the important sections. The singers were not names I have heard, but then I am no aficionado when it comes to opera singers. Andrew Bidlack (Rob Hall) has a beautiful, lyric voice. He didn't sound particularly powerful to me, but the score complemented the beautiful, touching qualities of his voice very well. Sasha Cooke (Meg) and Kevin Burdette (Beck Weathers) were highlights for me as well.
Most people know my father is a member of the orchestra (principal trombone), and many other orchestra members have been mentors and colleagues from the time I was a high school musician. I can say, with no reservation, this orchestra is a fantastic ensemble. I have heard them perform the scores to both Lohengrin and Götterdämmerung, and they sound as great as ever with Everest. I truly enjoyed the percussion writing and playing in the performance, with both atmospheric effects and excellent percussion writing being an important part of the score.
The set was fantastic! I mean, when you have opera singers rappelling down the Hilary Step, while singing, it doesn't get much more riveting than that! The lighting design added a tremendous amount of dimension to the production, and was one of the highlights of the performance. The night sky and sub-zero temperatures the climbers endured on their bivouacs during their descent were portrayed in such a beautiful and tragic way, I couldn't help but be absolutely drawn in to the performance.
There are 2 more shows, Wednesday and Saturday. If you are nearby, go see it.
Years ago, if you had told me a rock musician had written a book, I probably wouldn't have thought too much about it. After all, rock musicians, to me, were mostly self-taught, less technically skilled, and possessed little versatility, only able to play a few tunes that they had written themselves. Well, thank goodness for enlightenment and the death of ignorance! I got over my self-important and arrogant view of other musicians' work and now I can appreciate the artistry and skill of anyone, provided it's there to begin with! It's always been funny to me when people want to ask me "what's your favorite type of music?" I just can't answer. I like too many different types! I always say, as long as it's good, I'll listen!
Upon the recommendation of one of my favorite authors, I picked up David Byrne's book, How Music Works. Part autobiography, part how-to, part manifesto on the creative process and music's place in our society, I am totally knocked out with this work. As the front man for the Talking Heads, this guy has done more different things in music than most people can ever dream of. As I really only (sadly) knew "Burning Down the House", I have remedied that and discovered how many great albums Talking Heads put out over their career.
Mr. Byrne discussed many different topics in his book. He gives an overview of his beginnings as a musician, as well as the rock music scene in the 70s. For those of us "children of the 80s" (you know who you are), he describes how and why the New Wave and other movements began.
There are great chapters on technology: Technology Shapes Music: Analog, Technology Shapes Music: Digital, and In the Studio. Mr. Byrne has been active throughout all eras of modern recorded music and offers interesting insight into how real (successful) bands make (and made) their music in the studio, then how they were able to recreate that music in live shows.
Included as well is a deep discussion about the importance society places on different forms of music. The idea that classical music is somehow superior to other forms, he maintains, is one that has clearly been perpetuated by society, namely the wealthy patrons who might want to attach their name (and reputation) to something deemed worthwhile and prestigious. This is certainly not a new idea, but Byrne's further relation to the importance placed on rock and pop music by our society and education systems really made me think hard about my own biases and the musical world in which I have often been a participant.
Mr. Byrne's book contains a fantastic chapter, entitled "Amateurs". He discusses the importance of amateurs in the arts, and the contributions to be made by those who don't depend upon their passions to make a living. He discusses a 1906 essay by John Philip Sousa ("The Menace of Mechanical Music") where Sousa opined that "automatic music devices" will usurp the place of town bands, choruses, and listening to live music for socializing and enjoyment. Interestingly, Sousa also foresaw a time where we wouldn't have "not music", or rest between performances. He maintained that those times are critical as they allow for the formation of social bonds. I can only imagine Maestro Sousa rolling over in his grave at Congressional Cemetery over "advances" such as iPhones and Spotify.
Really, I could go on at length about this interesting and thoughtful work. Do yourself a favor and give it a read. Oh, and download something other than "Burning Down the House".
Cheers, The Virtual Trombonist
So, I was perusing the Grammy nominees recently and came across something I'm currently always on the lookout for... new children's music! I downloaded this new album by Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could, and it's awesome! It had so many styles packed into it: ragtime, soul, R&B, reggae, Zydeco, and rock! The musicians in the album are great, and it includes some fun horn section writing on the soul and R&B tracks. The album is just plain fun and hasn't failed so far to get my little ones rockin' out or to snap them out of the latest tantrum...:) Also, the original recording was funded by a Kickstarter campaign, one of 7 Kickstarter funded albums to be nominated for a Grammy this year. Check out a sample here: Brady Rymer: Just Say Hi
