Month: September 2009

  • Song of the Week: “Your Amazing Grace” by Marcus Miller feat Chaka Khan

    The JazzPianoCafe song of the week is “Your Amazing Grace” by Marcus Miller featuring Chaka Khan. It’s from Marcus’s 2001 album M2 (find Marcus Miller M² on Amazon.com). The song features a stellar cast of musicians: Marcus Miller Bass Clarinet, Bass Guitar, Bass Synth, Synths, Percussion Programming Chaka Khan Vocals Kenny Garrett Alto Saxophone solo…

  • Ear Training Video on Identifying Chords

    My friend Marcus and I created an ear training video on identifying chords. It’s available at EarPractice, on Youtube, or by using the player below. In the video I play a series of chords on the piano and after each one, pause for the viewer to identify the kind of chord (such as Major, minor,…

  • Introducing the iRack from Apple – MADtv (Video)

    Mad TV is one of my favorite comedy TV shows. They are not afraid to explore touchy subjects such as racism, politics, class divisions, and commercialism, and they do it in an hilarious and smart way. Here is a sketch where Apple’s Steve Jobs introduces their latest product, the iRack. It is a funny and…

  • Concert video: pegEsus Quintet live at Hermann’s Jazz Club

    Back in August I performed a show with the pegEsus Quintet at Hermann’s Jazz Club in Victoria. pegEsus is led by vocalist Peggy Hogan, who is currently studying music and literature at Concordia University. The pegEsus Quintet is: Peggy Hogan voice, Geoff Peters piano, Ben Fast bass, Nick Houghton drums, and Amanda Paterson saxophone. I…

  • Super cool 1985 short animated…

    Super cool 1985 short animated film, The Big Snit. Nominated for an Oscar. Watch here: tinyurl.com/nwwvqn

  • Amazing short film: The Big Snit (Richard Condie)

    If you’ve got 10 minutes, check out this amazing animated film called The Big Snit (by Canadian animator and film maker Richard Condie). Wikipedia says: Condie’s best known animated work is 1985’s The Big Snit, an offbeat parable about marriage, Scrabble, sawing, and nuclear war. The Big Snit was nominated for an Oscar and won…

  • Song of the Week: Stars by Kate McGarry

    I just discovered the music of jazz vocalist Kate McGarry (view her page on All About Jazz, her website, or her myspace). She has a really contemporary and modern sound, a bit similar to Bjork but with the passion and intensity of some of the classic “old school” vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday.…