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Free Online Book – Digital Sound Processing
My friend Sigal pointed me to a very good (but very technical) free online book on the topic of digital sound processing (click here). It explains (in very technical terms) such things as how the human ear works, and how humans are able to tell the direction that a sound originates from (i.e. “Spatial Sound…
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Flash Animation – John Coltrane’s Giant Steps
Geof just emailed me a link to an amazing Flash animation that goes along with Coltrane’s famous Giant Steps solo (click here). When I was playing saxophone I attempted to transcribe that entire famous solo and play it note-for-note, but I only managed to transcribe the first 30 seconds of it (that took several weeks)…
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Article on Madeleine Peyroux, jazz vocalist
Oh, the power of nostalgia! Madeleine Peyroux‘s voice has been described as “smoke and whisky”, and is often compared to the late, great Billie Holiday. Says Shelly Woodworth, director at Vilar Center in Colorado, “Peyroux isn’t imitating anybody, she has her own story to tell and is proving herself to be an original interpreter and…
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Chassidic Jazz Project – combining Jewish music and jazz
Drummer Reuben Hoch leads a group called the Chassidic Jazz Project, which combines traditional Jewish music with jazz and classical influences. On their web site, Hoch describes two different audiences which can appreciate this music: Those completely at home in the world of Jewish music appreciate the group’s new perspective of classic Jewish music. On…
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Concert review: Steve Swell, Hamid Drake, Jemeel Moondoc
I have just witnessed one of the most spectacular live performances I have ever seen, of improvised music. The band was the New York trombonist Steve Swell’s group, with Hamid Drake on drums, Jemeel Moondoc on alto saxophone, and William Parker on bass. They gave a stunning performance at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, after…
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Saxophonist and composer Miguel Zenon
On saxophonist and composer Miguel Zenon, Branford Marsalis said, “I listen for musical intelligence. Lots of jazz musicians spend their lives studying and then trying to make music out of academics. Miguel just grabbed the music. He was able to take something intellectual and make it sound organic and natural.” Zenon, who is only 26,…