Jazz Musician: LIONEL HAMPTON

Lionel Hampton during a concert in Aachen (Germany)
on May 19th, 1977
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One great jazz musician was Lionel Hampton. Lionel was a bandleader, actor, jazz vibraphonist and percussionist. He has worked with other famous jazz musicians such as Buddy Rich, Quincy Jones, and Charlie Parker. Lionel was raised by his grandmother in the south before he relocated to Chicago. In the 1920's he started playing the xylophone and drums. His first instrument was the fife drum.

When he was a teenager he played drums for the Chicago Defender Newsboy's band. When he lived in California, he played for the Dixieland Blue-Blowers. The first band that he recorded with was The Quality Serenaders, then he left again to go play with another band, Les Hite band. It was here that he began studying the vibraphone. Louis Armstrong asked Lionel to play the vibraphones on two songs. That is when he made the vibraphone a popular instrument.

While still with the Les Hite band, Lionel went to the University of Southern California taking music. He also worked with the Nat Shilkrer orchestra. In 1936 he was in the film Pennies From Heaven, starring Bing Crosby. He was next to Louis Armstrong but hid by wearing a mask when he was playing the drums.

In 1936 he was fortunate to meet Benny Goodman who came to watch him perform. Benny asked him to join his trio which consisted of Benny, Gene Krupa, and Teddy Wilson. It was then renamed the Benny Goodman Quartet. The year before, Lionel worked with Billie Holiday with Benny's orchestra. This group of artists was one of the first integrated jazz groups that performed openly in society.

Lionel recorded with several groups while still with Benny Goodman, but in 1940 he left to create his own big band. Lionel's orchestra was a hit in the 40's and 50's. "Flying Home" featured an Illinois Jacquet solo that began a new style of music, R&B. The song was so popular that he did another version called "Flying Home, Number Two", with Arnett Cobb. Lionel's music was a mixture of jazz music and R&B during this time. Some great jazz musicians that worked with him during this time were Johnny Griffin, Dinah Washington, Charles Mingus and Dizzy Gillespie.

As time went on, in the 1960's and after, his success lessened. He was still performing hits from the 1930's-1950's. In the 1970's he recorded with the Who's Who Record label, but still did not do as well as he could have.

Going the college route seemed to help a bit. His band played at University of Idaho's jazz concert regularly. In 1985, the named it the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. Two years later, they named the music school the Lionel Hampton School of Music. It was the only music school at a university that was named after a jazz musician. Lionel kept playing until he had a stroke in 1991 in Paris. Even though he had to stop performing as much, he did a performance at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in 2001, not long before he died. This jazz music legend will never be forgotten.

More about Lionel Hampton on Wikipedia.

---

---

KARAOKE Music

A karaoke place in Wuhan, in Luoyu E. St. 
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Karaoke bars are quite popular these days. People come here to hang out and have fun. The word “karaoke” is derived from a Japanese word and means “empty orchestra”. It started in Kansai, Japan, in 1984, and spread to worldwide popularity. Music of any popular song is taken but the voice of the singer is absent or reduced. So, anybody who is interested can sing along using a microphone, usually, the lyrics are also displayed.Some restaurants also have adopted this concept and they either have their in-house singer or sometimes even visitors can sing.

Before karaoke music came in cassettes only but with technological advances they were replaced with CDs, VCDs, and DVDs.KTV boxes were set up for people to entertain their friends or just to have fun. KTV means karaoke music video where the lyrics are displayed along with the audio track. It has become quite popular in US, Canada, and other Western countries. People love it and it is a good source of entertainment.

Karaoke music popularity:

Karaoke music business has also picked up very fast and now one can find karaoke nights every day in almost every restaurant as it drives people to the place. Small karaoke box has been replaced by hi-fi sound equipment and to make the atmosphere catchier they even put lighting effects and have dance sessions. Now almost all kinds of music are available from rock to pop to hip-hop and even religious hymns. The fun part is watching even those timid and shy ones, after consuming alcoholic beverages become bold and march towards the microphone and sing their hearts out, sometimes even humiliating themselves.

Karaoke Machines:

Computer karaoke is also quite popular among the youngsters. Those who are shy to perform in front of people can now be a star and sing in their own room and also for those who want to improve their skills can also have practice sessions quietly in their room. You can pick karaoke software which can provide the means to hear music and also see lyrics on the screen. Quite a number of websites also offer this entertainment for their karaoke fans. All you need to do is download the files, load the song in your computer and you are set to begin.

A simple karaoke box consists of an audio input, an audio output and pitch controller. Some bars also have low-end machines where they try to suppress the voice of the original singer so that you can hear only your voice. These machines are cheap. But those high inbuilt machines have a technology that can electronically change the pitch level according to the key the singer chooses for the song.

Next time you step into a karaoke bar do not shy away thinking you will be the laughing stock. People come here to have fun and you will be surprised to see everyone cheering for you. Explore your singing talent! This is a terrific way to wind up your soul and just relax. After a hectic day, if you are looking for a place to enjoy and meet new people, this is the place to be. Some karaoke bars also hold karaoke nights, where all wannabe singers show off their talents, if you are one of them, go ahead and show everyone what you have!!

---

---

---

Band Instrument Repair - FLUTE - Balancing and Regulating the Keys and Pads

A western concert flute divided into many parts. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Flute keys have to close exactly on the tone holes to seal them from air leakage and then an exact tone can be produced. The only way this can happen is to ensure the key is level and the tone hole is level and the pad has no holes or creases in them.

This is achieved by seating the pads correctly and then bending the keys and testing them continually until you get the best seal possible. We test the seal in several ways. One of the most common ways is to use a strip of cigarette paper. You place it between the rim of the tone hole and the pad and then close the key to see if the paper is grabbed or slips out. If it slips out, that means that air can get out of that space and thus you will lose sound and volume etc. I use a jeweler's eye loop to examine the hole more than I use the cigarette paper because I can get a closer look through the magnification and I find it quicker.

Bending the keys to make them level was at first very scary. You are working on a $300.00 and up instrument and you're taking a pair of flute pliers and bending the key to insure it is setting right over the hole. Yes, you occasionally break the keys right off. At first this is very unnerving but when you realize that you are suppose to be able to fix keys that are broken off, then it becomes no big deal. Once you realize that all the pieces of the flute had to be made and soldered together, you can rest assured that you can fix anything. We have recovered flutes that have been stepped on, sat on, jammed in doors etc., etc.

Alright so we took out all dents and bends, which is a science all on it's own. We made sure the springs are all intact and of the correct tension. We have checked and replaced and seated all the necessary pads. Finally, we bent and leveled all the keys and their pads over the tone holes so that we get as close to a perfect seal as possible.

Then we clamp the keys shut, to make a deep imprint in the pad, thus making a very air tight seal. We do this by first using a small pad iron to iron out any wrinkles from any new pads. Then you soak the pads with alcohol (this is one method). Apply the individual key clamps. Then you place the flute in a pad oven for a few hours. Pad ovens vary in size and shape. I use a long narrow leak light, which I put in the flute and then I put it in a wooden box. Some people don't use an oven.

After that, you'll get a great seal and the flute will play great. The volume will be great with no hissing or leaks.

After that if you give it regular hand cleaning and have someone a tech give it a once over every 6 months you get the best out of your flute and it will last a long time.

By Darrell Hare Article Source: EzineArticles

---

---

---

What Makes GRAND PIANOS Sound Better?

Blüthner Stil Flügel
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Grand pianos are seen as the pinnacle of all instruments and are widely associated with the glamorous jazz scene and classical recitals. But what is it exactly about the grand piano that makes it sound better than other types of piano, and is the fact that grand pianos are considerably more expensive really justifiable?

Grand pianos are a relatively modern technology in piano design.  Furthermore, they have proven to be the preferable design of choice for most of the world's top pianists and enthusiasts.  They differ from the other major classification of upright pianos in a number of ways, largely relating to configuration and size.  The grand piano strings horizontally, and benefits from the force of gravity in its mechanism.  Additionally, its sprawling structure allows for a fuller sound to resonate through the bridge, giving an impressive tonal distinction between grands and most upright models.  Uprights, on the other hand, strive to be tight and compact, whilst also affording similar tonal quality.  Of course, something has to give and with uprights, it’s the overall sound quality which is simply non-comparable to that of a grand.  However, the compressed mechanism on the upright is beneficial as a small and compact instrument for practice and smaller public recitals.

Additionally, the grand piano also allows more accomplished pianists to perform ornamentation and certain other musical features thanks to a special lever, which holds the hammer above the string for longer.  This means that by rapidly tapping the key, the hammer has less distance to move to reach the string which ultimately correlates to an increased ability to perform ornamentation and more complex staccato rhythms.  With the upright design, it is impossible to include this feature, therefore you will never be able to achieve the same overall responsiveness and feel as with a grand piano, and the more accomplished player should feel limited by the scope for ornamentation on the upright.

The fact that the grand piano occupies more space allows its mechanism more freedom to strike the string clearly.  Additionally, the horizontality allows for a deeper resonation through the wood which adds to sound.  Throw in the added benefit of the repetition lever, and you've got yourself a quality, unbeatable sound.  Although the uprights really can't compete, they certainly have the edge when it comes to space-efficiency and cost.  It really is a case of determining your needs and objectives, before selecting the piano that's right for you.

---

---

BEETHOVEN and the Illuminati: How the secret order influenced the great composer

In 1779, a composer, writer, teacher, and dreamer named Christian Neefe arrived in Bonn, Germany, to work for the Electoral Court. Neefe (pronounced nay-fuh) was the definition of what Germans call a Schwärmer, a person swarming with rapturous enthusiasms. In particular, he was inflamed with visions of endless human potentials that the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment promised to unleash.

Like many progressives of the time, Neefe believed that humanity was finally coming of age. So he had picked the right place to get a job. Bonn was one of the most cultured and enlightened cities in Germany; the court supported a splendid musical and theatrical establishment. Before long in his new post, Neefe found himself mentoring a genius. Meanwhile, in his spare time, he signed on with a plan to, as it were, rule the world.

One of Neefe’s first students was a sullen, grubby, taciturn 10-year-old keyboard player named Ludwig van Beethoven. He was the son of an alcoholic singer who had more or less beat music into him. The kid seemed more like a charity case than a budding musician, but Neefe soon discovered that his talent could put him in the league of the musical phenomenon of the age, a child of freakish gifts named Mozart.

Article Directory: Article Dashboard

---

---

---

The Lure Of The NYLON STRING GUITAR

Classical guitar (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As a fan of the electric guitar and an enthusiastic player of acoustic music, I would like to share some of the most fascinating aspects of the nylon string guitar to give you an idea of the beauty of this instrument as a stepping stone for beginner guitarists or as the subject of a lifelong devotion. Although a nylon string guitar fan can go on and on about the wonderful mellow sound and the potential for extracting new meaning from music, maybe we can focus on the more practical aspects of the nylon string acoustic like the different styles of music played on it and the advantages it can hold for an amateur or professional guitarist.

First, let's talk about the types of guitars using nylon strings. Many experts say the flamenco guitar with its dry sound is more typical of  what a guitar was like before the emergence of the sonorous and lyrical sound of the classical guitar which evolved in the first half of the twentieth century. The flamenco guitar has always been common in some areas of Spain, and it is simply the musical instrument used by a family or group of friends to play the local folk music. The classical guitar was developed to play the classical style compositions which became popular in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. A descendent of the classical guitar is the basic nylon string acoustic guitar you see in music stores today. It lends itself to the accompaniment of all types of songs and was made popular in the 1960's folk boom by artists like Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan and Peter, Paul And Mary. These artists captured the public's imagination with their songs and planted the sound of the nylon string guitar firmly in the realms of popular music.

The sound of the nylon string guitar is much more peaceful compared to the brighter sound of the steel string acoustic. Another major advantage of the nylon string guitar is that it provides musical accompaniment to songs without distracting attention from your vocals.

By the way - did you know that players of electric guitars or steel string acoustic instruments need to develop callouses on their left hand fingers? Nylon strings are generally a little kinder to your hands. You will find that your nylon string guitar is easy to tune and you can just pick your guitar up and play it at any time of day or night without disturbing anybody in the immediate environment. Also the wider fret board allows you to play chords and single notes without accidentally touching the wrong string.

Nylon string guitars are kinder to finger picking guitarists. Anybody can learn finger style guitar on nylon strings without running too much risk of breaking fingernails, plus you will be pleased at how your first finger picking efforts are rewarded by the more beginner-friendly tone of the nylon acoustic.

Now you have some idea of the attractive aspects of the nylon string acoustic guitar, I do hope you will find some time to devote to this beautiful and, in recent times, neglected instrument.

---

---

---

Antique VIOLINS

Photo  by Internet Archive Book Images

Violin is a wooden musical instrument with four strings and an unfretted fingerboard, held under the player's chin and played with a bow. It is an instrument which is being used for centuries in music genres like pop, classical, country and jazz.

All the beginning musicians and collectors can have a try on antique violins. Most of these violins are said to be hundreds of years old and are sold for thousands of dollars. These are the artifacts of the past and even wonderfully decorated musical instruments. There is a huge variety of antique violins out there. All you have to do is search for a good antique violin shop.

Older violins made in early times are highly valuable. One of the most valuable of all antique violins is one made by Andrea Amati in1564. It was made from King Charles IX and it is worth millions of dollars. Additional violins made in future years of the unchanged century can be sold for millions of dollars now. Antique violins of older times are also available in markets but are highly expensive.

These antique violins are of great importance due to its historical significance. Many of the musicians prize these antique violins for the reason that they show the craftsmanship of their makers. They are usually designed by combining many artful components together with complex and feature elaborate and unique carvings and engravings that are not found on a number of models nowadays. It is this particular difference and handmade work that makes the older violins so collectible.

In Europe, a huge number of violin makers have started making replicas of older models of violins. The basic of recreating these models was not to trick or confuse collectors, but these were made for those students and those people who really appreciated its design and were unable to buy it due to its high price, which they were unable to afford.

Antique violins are of great significance. They show us how they were designed in the past. While technology allows us to make better ones with more features there is a great deal of history captures in these antique violins. That is way musicians and collectors alike are very interested in owning them.

---

---

---

ORGAN PEDAL Playing: Is It Better To Play With Organist Shoes Or With Socks?

Church Organ Pedal - Photo: Pixabay

Have you experienced problems playing the organ with organist shoes? Is it easier for you to play with socks on? In this article, I will give you tips and advice on how to overcome this challenge.

It seems to me the following issue is making the difficulty in playing with the shoes the pedals for you.

You are used to playing without shoes. Socks are more sensitive and therefore you might think it is better without shoes but when it comes to playing with heels, you really need shoes.

Although the sole of the organist shoes is not thick but comparing to the socks, you still run into problems feeling the surface of the pedalboard. In other words, when you have to press the pedal, it is actually easier to feel it without the shoes on.

However, organ pedal technique consists of using both toes and heels (at least in modern legato organ school). Therefore, using heels is a lot easier by playing with organist shoes.

Technically speaking, the higher the heel of the shoe, the less motion you have to do from your ankles. I have seen great French ladies organists play impeccably on the pedals with high heels.

Of course, the accuracy comes from correct practice but for most people, the heels should be around 3 centimetres or 1.2 inches.

If you are experiencing problems playing with organist shoes, start practising with your organ shoes on any organ regularly (at home, on your teacher's organ or at church). Don't worry at all about the mistakes. They have to occur since you are not used to playing with shoes.

Be persistent and you will discover gradual improvement over time. When you make a mistake, go back a few measures, correct it and play fluently at least 3 times in a row very slowly. Also, make use of pedal preparation technique which will automate your pedal playing.

By Vidas Pinkevicius By the way, do you want to learn my special powerful techniques which help me to master any piece of organ music up to 10 times faster? If so, download my free Organ Practice Guide. Or if you really want to learn to play any organ composition at sight fluently and without mistakes while working only 15 minutes a day, check out my systematic master course in Organ Sight-Reading. Article Source: EzineArticles

---

---

HEALING MUSIC

Montage of great classical music composers - from left to right: 

first row - Antonio Vivaldi, Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Friedrich Händel, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven; 

second row - Gioachino Rossini, Felix Mendelssohn, Frédéric Chopin, Richard Wagner, Giuseppe Verdi; 

third row - Johann Strauss II, Johannes Brahms, Georges Bizet, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Antonín Dvořák; 

forth row - Edvard Grieg, Edward Elgar, Sergei Rachmaninoff, George Gershwin, Aram Khachaturian 

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You might be thinking as to how music can be used effectively for stress management. There are few basic principles that you should understand so as to tailor your favorite music for the purpose of stress management.

1. You should use your favorite category of music and in case you don’t like Mozart or classical music then don’t use it. Good and quality music can be found in most genre of music
2. You should choose music that has pleasant associations for you or music that brings you cheerful memories.
3. If you want to try new music, then go for instrumental music tends that are more stress relieving than the music having lyrics because this doesn’t requires you t o think.
4. You should choose music that is slow and has regular pulse or beat. This is because researchers discovered that music with the tempo of healthy resting heartbeat will synchronize your own breathing and heart beat to it thereby slowing down your racing body rhythms.
5. Racing thoughts can often lead to anxious and stressed out feelings and for this you should use rhythms of slow music so as to slow down your body and thoughts. 

Music is even used for surgery whereby surgeons listen to their favorite music while operating the people. This is because they know the power of music and the profound effect it has on their ability to focus and concentrate on their work. Surgeons listen to Mozart, Wagner, and Handel or sometimes, rock, jazz or pop and claim that they have more energy while music is being played.

Patient is not provided with music because it is the patient who is sleeping and is not able to hear music. But the fact is that music has tremendous benefits for the patient such as he needs fewer anesthesias, less anxiety before, less pain after, faster recovery, less time in the hospital and many more. Patient can hear music with the help of lightweight headphones.

---

---

---

CLASSICAL PIANO MUSIC – appeal remains eternal

Piano Sonata in A Major, op. 101, Allegro:
manuscript sketch in Beethoven's handwriting.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Even though the genre of music changes with the change of ages, the appeal of classical piano music remains never-ending. This is not said by a few people only but by a great number of experts in western music also. If you are cynical still, you can make a meticulous research in the cyberspace and get acquainted with the reality. There are if truth be told, ample numbers of websites in internet dealing with classical piano music and you can have a lot of info from them. What makes classical piano music so attractive down the ages? Classical piano music has not only been instrumental in shaping the route of western classical music but has brought to the fore illustrious composers also.

One of them is certainly Beethoven; internationally celebrated German composer of instrumental music (in particular symphonic and chamber music) and what is most striking that he continued to compose even after his auditory sense was lost. Another unparalleled great composer is certainly Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a creative Austrian composer and child prodigy. He is considered a master of the classical approach in all its forms.

Are you interested to have a feeling of classical piano music? In that case, the internet can be a good friend of yours. To cut a long story short, websites are cropping up across the internet without a single interruption and people from all over the world can log in these sites and start on to learn classical piano music and its different versions.

Thanks to the mounting popularity of classical piano music (certainly a turning point once again), many websites are offering the same at reasonably priced rates or even at free. Again, a number of websites do maintain archives of classical piano music and enable the ordinary of free members even to download a number of them.

Now we must focus on the saga of learning. An assortment of websites let users initiate to teach themselves the basic chords along with notes and in this, the application of computer keyboard is enough. If you are the learner, many websites will educate you how to read classical piano music also. For that reason as soon as you get the same, the free classical piano music websites will appear useful for you. This is a good idea since paying money for a piano for a keyboard or a piano is pricey and you may have to expend a good amount of money. On the contrary, use of a computer keyboard is a good and cost-effective approach. Many people have already learnt the basics in this way and you can join their group before long given that you have the dedication, forbearance, intelligence and acumen. Remember that the combination of all these give rise to a new facet of your – competence.

This is just the beginning and on condition that there is proficiency, you can learn Beethoven’s "Fur Elise"- considered as one of the most illustrious creations in the realm of classical piano music. The majority of young piano students gain knowledge of Beethoven's "Fur Elise" during the early part of a career. You can also revel and learn "The Entertainer" of Scott Joplin, "Canon in D major" of Pachelbel and certainly "Moonlight Sonata" of Beethoven.

Tim Jones - Article Directory: Article Dashboard

---

---

---

The Little Heard Cousin of the Trumpet - CORNET

The cornet is an instrument that is a member of the brass instrument family. Its appearance is close to that of the trumpet in its design. The tubing is wrapped in a clever way that will allow the musician to easily carry and play the instrument, and the tube's diameter increases in size until the end. It is a common mistake for people to believe that the cornet has originated from the medieval cornett, but in truth, there is no relation. In fact, the cornet originated from the simple horn, just as the bugle was. The cornet really developed when the improvements on piston valves were made, which was in the early 1800s.

Today, the cornet is a fairly popular instrument that is used in concert bands and brass bands more than it is used in marching bands and military, though it can sometimes be used in these too. Referring back to the valves of the cornet, they really were the largest part in bringing in the creation of the cornet. In fact, it was in adding these valves to the horn in the early 1800s that the actual cornet was first invented. While the cornet would seem similar to the trumpet, they differed greatly for a while before the trumpet also had the valves added into its design. Today, they are so similar that the coronet and the trumpet can play the same notes and fingerings.

The cornet has not changed too much since it was first invented, and it has only been around for a couple hundred years, but it is a brass instrument that has received a decent amount of interest over the years. One can see it played in a number of different musical genres and people of different ages have given it a try. In fact, a number of young jazz musicians in the 1900s began their careers by learning how to play the cornet.

The cornet has a more mellow and warm tone that is attractive to many people who decide to learn how to play the instrument. It is also an instrument that is recommended for beginners who have never played a brass instrument before. It can be a little challenging at first for someone who is new to playing any kind of wind instrument, but it can be quite rewarding in the end. Learning the sheet music and how to manipulate the keys properly can also take some time, but not as long as it can take to learn other more complex instruments. It is also another instrument that can be offered at some schools that have them.

Overall, the instrument is not too difficult to learn and so is a great instrument to offer in grade school to younger people who would like to try learning a musical instrument. The sheet music for the cornet is also easier to acquire than more expensive sheet music for other instruments. The instrument is even donated to the schools on occasion by people who have no more use for their cornet. Anyone who wishes to try the instrument outside of school can often find used cornets in used instrument stores or pawn shops.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for used CDs, autographed CDs, and used musical instruments.   Article Directory: Article Dashboard

---

---

---

Related articles

• CORNETand TRUMPET Care For the Busy Musician
• How Sound Is Produced Through Brass Instruments

Portuguse Fado Music and American Jazz Saxophone - Is There a Connection? Oh Yeah

Photo by Glyn Lowe Photoworks.

Fado music reveals the heart and soul of Portugal

Fado is a style of music that originated in Portugal in the early 1800's. Influences possibly came from the Moors, Arabia, and Africa, all of which the Portuguese had contact with. The Moors were North African Muslims who occupied Portugal and Spain from the 700's to the 1500's. They were eventually driven out by crusaders but left great influences in food, cooking, architecture and music.

Many North Americans have never heard of fado, not surprising since it's not being played on your local commercial radio station. Those that I've met and have had a chance to hear it usually fall in love with it. Musically, it's very pleasing to the ears and follows a predictable musical pattern. I think it has similarities to the Blues in America. Not so much in the harmonic chord progression of the 1, 1V, V that the blues is based on but the way the music itself came into existence and what it means and represents to its people and country today.The lyrical content of the Fado is usually about longing, lost love, hardships, the same things a blues song is usually about. Sonically it sounds much different.

I hated this music when I was a kid! Sitting in the back seat of my parent's car, being forced to listen to it, not understanding the lyrics, and it sounded so foreign next to the pop radio stations I listened to on my own time. I avoided it when I could and basically forgot about it as I grew up.

One day, in my 20's and off and away on the saxophone I heard a recording by the Portuguese jazz saxophonist Rao Kyao playing Fado music on his sax, no singing, just beautiful melodies played on a tenor. This put it in a whole new light for me. I guess I started to hear it differently since it was a sax speaking to me rather than some old Portuguese singer singing about stuff I couldn't understand, I could understand this though... Listen to Rao Kyao

The typical instrumentation is 2 Portuguese guitars which in Portuguese is called a guitara and 2 regular acoustic nylon string guitars which the Portuguese call a viola.

The biggest star of Fado was Amalia Rodrigues who died a few years ago but was active for most of the second half of the 20th century. She was known and appreciated internationally and brought the fado of Portugal to the world. There have been Plays and films written about her...

She also brought one of the great American tenor saxophonists into the studio with her group to lay some sax down on a few tracks. Don Byas was a contemporary of Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young, the great saxophonists of the early jazz swing era in America around 1940. But Byas moved to Europe, living in France, Holland, and Denmark in the mid 40's and remained there for the rest of his life. Fortunately, while in Portugal for a brief moment he was called into a studio session with the great Amalia and so history was made with one of the greatest American jazz tenor saxophonists together with the greatest Portuguese fado singer.

If you've never heard fado music, do yourself a favour and check it out!

*Note: For the complete article with audio samples go to JohnnyFerreira.com

By Johnny Ferreira Johnny Ferreira is an award-winning saxophonist, international touring and recording artist. Advocator of saxophone music that rocks, jumps, and swings. For more information, music, and articles including audio samples visit http://JohnnyFerreira.com Article Source: EzineArticles

---

---

GUITAR LESSONS - The Secret To Improving Your Playing Fast

Broke the guitar out today. She hit for the cycle on music - recorder, piano, and guitar. Nice.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A core aspect of guitar practice is goal setting.

To put it bluntly – you must set goals!

Let me explain why this is so important. Hopefully, my explanation will show you just how important, and incredibly powerful, this technique is if you want to be constantly improving as a guitar player.

If you set goals you give your subconscious mind something clear to focus on.

When you write down your goal and commit to doing it, you have set something in motion. By writing it down, you’re making it much more likely to happen.

So, you must set some goals and write them down.

I know this may sound unimportant to you at the moment, especially if you have never used this technique before.

But trust me on this…Before I set goals to work on in my practice I was highly frustrated with the lack of results I was getting.

Goal setting keeps you focused and makes you get what you want from your practice.

Also, if you don’t set goals, you don’t have anything clear to measure how well you’ve progressed. This can mean that you don’t progress much at all, or you don’t notice your progress.

This can lead to lack of desire to play guitar and lack of desire is a 100% guaranteed route to failure.

That’s not what you want, is it?

So, in summary:

You must cover each of these points:

• You must set long-term and short-term goals.
• You must read & review your goals before you practice.
• You must focus on completing these goals while you’re practicing.
• When you finish practicing, review your goals and tick off the goals you have completed.
• If you miss a goal, don’t worry! Review the goal and decide if it was realistic enough. If it wasn’t realistic, change it until it is. If you still feel it is realistic, leave it there and work on it next time.
• It helps to make your goal time limited. (E.g. Within 30 days) This will help keep you focused and accountable.

---

---

MARIA CALLAS: Supreme Opera Diva

Publicity photo of Maria Callas (December 2, 1923 – September 16, 1977) as Violetta in La Traviata by Houston Rogers
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The 2004 Athens Olympics is over, but certain things linger on. My thoughts drifted to the ambitious opening ceremony that heralded its start. Only one among the millions of television viewers, I saw with much excitement and expectation the grand opening ceremony on yet another biggest sports show on earth. I also marveled at how the patrolling troops on land and air managed to guard the entire security operation. All for the game.

Athens played host to a beautiful and moving Opening Ceremonies in Olympic history. The spectacular and theatrical event featured a vast expanse of water representing the beautiful seas that surround Greece, massive flying artifacts, a rolling stage, among other magical visual displays. The audacious performance painted a dramatic picture of a country steeped in pride for its remarkable cultural heritage - civilization and its contribution to the arts and sciences, politics and society. And lest the world forgets, it was the ancient Greece that created the Olympic Games nearly 3,000 years ago.

Then the Olympic ceremony presented the 'Book of Life' part, where Eros swooped down to greet a pregnant woman, the final figure of the 'Clepsydra' parade. The background music clearly came from a distinct voice that I swore could only belong to one operatic diva, to me, the greatest of all: the voice of Maria Callas. By impulse, I got excited and stood up when I heard it. I said, "It can't be. It's Callas!" I was under the assumption that all performances were live. Naturally, I was right about the voice. Within a minute, the television commentator said so. Obviously, the Greeks are ever proud of the voice and the singer. Nevermind that she was born and raised in the USA. But she was born of Greek parents. Besides, a legend should be shared with the world. A legend is a child of the universe!

The American operatic soprano Maria (Kalogeropolous) Callas (1923-1977) was born in New York of Greek parents. She studied at Athens Conservatory and made her debut there in 1941. With a voice of fine range and a gift for dramatic expression, she excelled in opera. In 1947, she appeared at Verona in La Gioconda, winning immediate recognition. In 1949, she was married to Giovanni Battista Meneghini. She appeared at La Scala, Milan in 1950, at London's Covent Garden in 1952, and at New York's Metropolitan Opera in 1956. Among her most famous roles was Bellini's Norma in the title role, and Amina in La Sonnambula, while her magnetic stage presence as an operatic actress yielded memorable portrayals of Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata and in the title role in Puccini's Tosca. Callas sang with great authority in all the most exacting soprano roles, excelling in the intricate bel canto style of pre-Verdian Italian opera. Other operas include Madame Butterfly, Aida and Medea, and many more.

It's more than twenty-five years since her death, and yet Maria Callas continues to ignite the imagination of a new generation of opera-goers who never experienced her on the stage. I never did. My discovery of Callas is through my collection of her records, some almost warped to let go, perhaps no different from her recordings when she was just beginning to reach an international market, or when her career was still confined to Italy. Through the CDs, I came to love Callas's exquisite voice with all my senses engaged. Not that I don't admire the likes of Kiri Te Kanawa, Ely Ameling, or Joan Sutherland, among others. I have Maria Callas's 'First Official Recordings', mono dated 1953. And as I compare this recording with a more polished production, a recent 1997 EMI recording of a lifelong favorite Bellini's Norma, I can feel the same intensity of feeling, the ever-engaging sound of the voice itself.

I can go on and on and rave about this operatic diva, this legend whose greatest role was herself. For her life was an intense opera in itself - her tempestuous outbursts as sensational as her entrances and exits, as well as her doomed relationships. From 1959 until her death, she had an intense relationship with the shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. But always, she remained the ever-consummate professional in her art.

While writing this piece, I'm up to Callas Rarities. and almost always, I end my listening satisfaction with her interpretation of my all-time favorite: "Casta Diva"(Chaste Goddess) from Bellini's Norma. Her exquisite voice lulls me to divine slumber: "Casta diva ... tempra, o Diva, tempra tu de' cori ardenti, tempra ancora lo zelo audace ..." Translated in English: "Chaste goddess, ... temper thou the burning hearts, the excessive zeal of thy people."

To experience the magical voice of Maria Callas, I need only listen and take pleasure in the solace of her recordings.

By Tel Asiado Tel Asiado is an Information Technology professional turned writer, author, and consultant. Employed by multi-national organizations in information technology, computing and consulting, she has several years of varied experience as project manager, business solution manager, process and information analyst, and as a business writer. Her writings also reflect her passions for inspirational/motivational and Christian insights and classical music.  Article Source: EzineArticles

---

---

---

Related articles

• Noomi Rapace to portray Maria Callas in the opera singer bio

LENNY PICKETT TENOR SAXOPHONE Virtuoso

Photo  by Ethan Prater 

Lenny Pickett is best known as the tenor saxophonist of the Saturday Night Live Band, he is one of the virtuosos of altissimo saxophone. The altissimo register is a technique that almost seems like a requirement for saxophonists today. It's based on harmonics and enables you to achieve notes above the normal range of the saxophone.

For example, it is possible to finger a low Bb (the lowest note on the instrument) and by changing the embouchure and air stream to blow the full overtone series of the low Bb (middle Bb, middle F, high Bb, high D, high F, and so on.) This technique can be heard clearly in the well-known opening theme to Saturday Night Live.

Lenny passes says this about his equipment, in response to numerous inquiries:  "I play a Selmer Paris Mark VI tenor (circa 1970) with a Berg Larsen 130 over 0 (SMS) mouthpiece and a number 3 Vandoren (blue box) bass clarinet reed."

Pickett, born in New Mexico in 1954, is competent not only with saxophone but also on flute and clarinet. After dropping out of high school in Berkeley, he spent a brief period studying under Bert Wilson, but amazingly, other than that instruction is entirely self-taught on the saxophone. Not viewed as a traditional jazz player, he is best showcased in short bursts of color bringing the life of his horn to center stage in R&B and rock arrangements. He is well known for his funky style, and his ability to make the sax "scream."

Pickett played with the Tower of Power horns from 1972 to 1981 and toured the world with them. Tower of Power still tours extensively today, though without Pickett. They released multiple Top 100 albums over the course of Pickett's career with them. Tower of Power played in many styles, from soul to funk to disco, and Pickett's virtuoso playing felt at home in all of them.

Tower of Power's horns section has performed with a variety of other artists including Santana, Heart, Poison, Phish, and more. He has since performed live and recorded with Rod Stewart, Elton John, Little Feat, Peter Gordon's Love of Life Orchestra, Doc Kupka's Strokeland Superband, and many rock and jazz albums and film and television soundtracks. Pickett's management's bio describes his music as "polyphonic extravaganzas which manage to touch base with R&B, funk, swing, Latin influence, and the avant-garde; horn lines twist around one another, shifting and building in intensity."

He has worked as a saxophonist and arranger for David Bowie, the Talking heads, and Laurie Anderson. As a composer, he has been commissioned to write works mixing classical and popular ideas for a variety of ensembles including the New Century Saxophone Quartet. Due to his strange and wild self-taught style, his techniques are endlessly discussed on Internet forums, where players speculate on his fingering, whether or not he's using double or triple tonguing, often asking each other "What is Pickett doing?!??!"

He is currently a professor of jazz saxophone at New York University.

Author: Neal Battaglia   Are you into sax improvisation? Learn more about Saxophone Improv at Sax Station!   Article Directory: EzineArticles

---

---