Monday YouTube Fix: Philip Glass

If you want to be transported to another place, close your eyes, take some slow, deep breaths through your nose and listen to this.

Pure brilliance.

The musical storytelling is off the charts with this piece and with this performance. There is so much intent behind it. Exactly what was intended is up to the listener to ultimately decide but you can tell that he desperately needs you to hear it.

And that’s the kind of playing and writing that changes people. This is the kind of music that makes you feel like your soul is on fire.

Enjoy!

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Harry Connick Jr: Monday YouTube Fix

Harry Connick Jr. is a genius. This is a famous clip for a reason. He is performing for a live studio audience in France. The crowd is really enjoying it and clapping along.

The problem is they are enthusiastically clapping on 1 and 3 with no end in sight.

But Harry has a plan. He slips a 5/4 bar in at the 0:39 mark so smoothly that no one even notices.

Brilliant.

Harry's playing with rhythm

Harry Connick Jr: Monday YouTube Fix

Harry Connick Jr. is one of my musical heroes. He is the consummate showman, a phenomenal composer and arranger, and one of the best piano players in the world. You throw in the fact that he can sing and act and he can make you depressed pretty quickly.

I just performed a fantastic arrangement of this chart by Bryan Kidd with the American Festival Pops Orchestra. I personally think more Christmas tunes should have a New Orleans street beat.

Enjoy!

From the AOL Music Sessions recorded in the Bronx, November 13, 2008

Emanuel Ax: Monday YouTube Fix

Emanuel Ax has been one of my favorite pianists in the world for as long as I can remember. I am spoiled by getting to see him perform every single summer at Tanglewood. He is a phenomenal artist whose musicianship I regularly look to for inspiration.

Here is a performance of Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Opus 83 from The BBC Proms in 2011. He is accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra of Europe under the direction of Bernard Haitink.

Enjoy!

Johannes Brahms Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major, Op 83 1 Allegro non troppo 2 Allegro appassionato 3 Andante 4 Allegretto grazioso Emanuel Ax, piano Cham...

T'ang Quartet with Albert Tiu: Monday YouTube Fix

I am lucky to call the four gentlemen in the T'ang Quartet longtime friends dating back to their time as faculty at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute over a decade ago.

I was able to visit them in Singapore seven different times as a member of Boston Brass. One of those trips included a concert with them which was my single favorite concert I played with Boston Brass in 14 years.

They are joined in this clip by the fantastic pianist Albert Tiu to perform his arrangement of Astor Piazzolla's hauntingly beautiful Oblivion.

Enjoy!

This is an excerpt from "Concert for Hope", a charity concert in aid of the victims of the 2004 Tsunami, held in Victoria Concert Hall, Singapore. Arrangement by Albert Tiu.

William Preucil: Monday YouTube Fix

I recently attended a brass masterclass where the teacher asked the students how many of them were familiar with William Preucil.  I was horrified when only two hands went up and one of them was mine.

Preucil has been the concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra since 1989 and has a long resume as both a soloist and chamber musician.  He is the highest paid concertmaster in the world.  Listen to this clip and you will see why.  He sure makes that thing look easy to play.

This is a clip of him performing the Beethoven Violin Sonata in A Minor, Opus 23, at the Brevard Music Center on July 5, 2010.  He is accompanied by Bruce Murray on piano.

Enjoy!

William Preucil, violin, and Bruce Murray, piano, performing the first two movements (Presto and Andante scherzoso) of Beethoven's Sonata in A minor, Op. 23. Recorded in concert at the Brevard Music Center, July 5, 2010.

William Preucil, violin, and Bruce Murray, piano, performing the last movements (Allegro molto) of Beethoven's in A minor, Op. 23. Recorded in concert at the Brevard Music Center, July 5, 2010.

Roger Bobo: Monday YouTube Fix

Not many tuba players before Roger Bobo played with as much style and swagger as he did. (He still maintains an aggressive teaching schedule around the world but has retired from performing.) It can aloso be argued that not many since him have played with as much style either.

This is a great example of his style and musical personality.  Here is Roger playing the Hindemith Sonata for Bass Tuba and Piano.

Enjoy!

Uploaded by The Brass Guy on 2015-02-18.

Gerry Mulligan and Paul Desmond with the Dave Brubeck Trio: Monday YouTube Fix

Every time I stumble onto a clip like this I try to wrap my head around being able to watch things like this, a performance from close to 45 years ago, on my phone while sitting in my pajamas.  The internet sure is a wonderful thing.

Gerry Mulligan is one of my musical heroes.  Not that the rest of the guys in this clip aren't legends, but Gerry has always spoken loudly to me.  The effortless flow to his phrasing.  A tone that seems to sing all on its own.  The first time I heard an album featuring both him and Chet Baker it changed me.  I don't think Paul Desmond or Dave Brubeck need any introduction.

This is live performance is from November 4, 1972 in Berlin.  The full personnel:

Gerry Mulligan - bari sax
Paul Desmond - alto sax
Dave Brubeck - piano
Jack Six - bass
Alan Dawson - drums

Enjoy!

Dave Brubeck Trio spec.Guest Paul Desmond & Gerry Mulligan 1972 1. Blues For Newport 2. All The Things You Are 3. For All We Know 4. Line For Lyons 5. Blessed Are The Poor (The Sermon On The Mount) 6. Mexican Jumping Bean 7. Sign Off 8. Someday My Prince Will Come 9.