Halloween Music

October 27, 2009



Just in time for All Hallow's Eve, our resident Scare Queen (and senior classical music analyst) Michelle Alexander looks at some of the scariest music ever written, ranging from the ominous organ music of Bach and Beethoven through Liszt and then into 20th Century composers like George Crumb and Gyorgy Ligeti. She thrusts her hands into the muck of musical fright and dredges up the dissonance and challenged expectations that make for aural horror. (9 mins.)

Here's the link to Haunt Your House, the Halloween mixtape created by Michelle Alexander and Russell Johnson.

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Jamming, part 2

October 19, 2009



Part two of our Improv show, in which we explore directed improvisation and how musicians support each other when in the sea of spontaneity: Guitarist Lebo from ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra), pianist Trevor Garrod from Tea Leaf Green (pictured here), and guitarist Jeremy Korpas from Big Light.

Recorded and edited by Tyler Brown at Bellboy Recording in Richmond CA. (20 mins.)

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Jamming, part 1

September 30, 2009



Three Left Coast jamband heavyweights weigh in on the art and science of purposeful improvisation: Guitarist Lebo from ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) (far left, pictured here), pianist Trevor Garrod from Tea Leaf Green (center right), and guitarist Jeremy Korpas from Big Light (far right).

Recorded and edited by Tyler Brown at Bellboy Recording in Richmond CA. (20 mins.)

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The Marriage of Classical and Jazz, part 2

August 26, 2009



Pianist Bill Mays returns to lead us step by step through a recent composition of his called "Fantasy, Movement One." He shows us the motifs and elements as they progress, calls out where improvisation led the players away from the printed notes, and introduces us to the tones of the other musicians on the session, who are Alisa Horn on cello and Marvin Stamm on trumpet and flugelhorn. (9 mins.)

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Singing

Recording Vocals with Ariah Firefly

Mixing Vocals with Ariah Firefly

The Basics of Vocal Harmony with Greg Giles and Kelly Atkins from 20 Minute Loop

Singing Intervals with Melody Parker

Melodic Construction with Melody Parker

Song Lyrics with Michael Zapruder

Word Choice In Lyrics with Michael Zapruder

Rhythm

Drums and Drumming, Part I with Jeff Anthony

Drums and Drumming, Part II with Jeff Anthony

Percussion Without Borders with Sameer Gupta

Hip Hop Rhyme Schemes with Darian Gray

Meters and Time Signatures with Adam Blum

Metric Modulation with Chris Horgan

Drum Feels (With Toms and Kick) with Jeff Anthony

Drum Feels (With Hi-Hat and Snare) with Jeff Anthony

The Art of Sampling with V.E.R.A. Clique, Dan Craig and Johnny Igaz

Styles

Elements of Salsa with Marina Garza and Orquesta D'Soul

Reggae, Ska, Rocksteady and Dub with Vic Wong, Ray Jacildo, and the Soul Captives

Electronic Dance Music, Part I with Chris Horgan, Christian Runge, and Beatropolis

Electronic Dance Music, Part II with Chris Horgan and Beatropolis

Holiday Music with Todd Haemmerle

Types of Metal with Kurt Kotheimer, Ava Mendoza and Weasel Walter

Gypsy Jazz with Vic Wong and Panique

IDM and Glitch with BlipVert


The Marriage of Classical and Jazz, Part I with Steve Ginsberg and Bill Mays


The Marriage of Classical and Jazz, Part II with Bill Mays and Inventions Trio


Halloween Music with Michelle Alexander

Composition

Major & Minor with Scott Pinkmountain

Pedal Point with Michelle Alexander

Three Chords with Russell Johnson

Quiet & Loud with Matt Cannon

The Blues Scale with Bob Coons

Building A Song From The Ground Up with Scott Pinkmountain

Dissonance with Russell Johnson

Country Songwriting with JJ Schultz

Pre-production with Palefighter

Hip Hop Hooks with Johnny Igaz, Dan Craig and V.E.R.A. Clique

Room Acoustics with Melody Parker

Jamming, part 1 with Lebo, Jeremy Korpas and Trevor Garrod

Jamming, part 2 with Jeremy Korpas, Trevor Garrod and Lebo

Instruments

Electric Guitar Effects with Patrick Greene

Upright Bass with Seth Ford-Young

The Guitar Riff with Will Redmond

Synthesis with Steve Hogan

The Trumpet with Gene V. Baker

Strings with Alan L. Lin and Yair Evnine

Famous Rock Drummers with Jeff Anthony