Les Paul dies

Its been a busy week or so getting ready for the semester, but I had to take time to mention the passing of Les Paul. If it were not for him, the electric guitar would not have been made (or made at a later date) thus changing the face of rock music.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/08/13/obit.les.paul/index.html

Ben Folds and University A Capella

Ben Folds is my favorite modern day composer and performer for many reasons. He writes thoughtful works, silly songs, is an amazing piano player, and constantly is thinking of new and different ways to perform music (for instance, putting Altoids Mint tins on the strings of his piano to crate a "prepared piano"). In one of Ben's recent adventures, he asked college vocal groups to arrange and record A capella versions of his songs and post them on youtube. The winning songs were recorded (either by Ben or his associates) and released on an album. For a list of winners, see:
http://www.benfolds.com/acappella.

I have listened to most of these works, and the recording by Sacramento State's Jazz choir stands out as the best. Alright I am biased, I am Sacramento State graduate but thier performance is quite impressive. Here are videos of the original (by Ben Folds) and the Sacramento State Jazz choir version. Enjoy!

New Mozart works found....

Some people may have already heard about this, but I find it worth mentioning. Two compositions were found in Salzburg that are being attributed to Mozart. Apparently, these works were transcribed by Mozart's father Leopold because the Wolfgang was too young to write them down himself! The idea that there were undiscovered Mozart works give much hope to many Musicologists who have spent countless ours in dusty, dirty archives looking for works that the world has not heard before. Back to the archives my friends!
There are musical examples so you can decide for yourself:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/08/02/new.mozart/index.html

American Folk Musician Mike Seeger has died

Mike Seeger, of the Seeger family of musicians died of cancer on August 7th, 2009. Seeger spent many years traveling in the Southern United States recording people performing folk songs and was a founding member of the New Lost City Ramblers. Seeger performed on instruments such as the banjo, fiddle, guitar and mandolin among others.
Here is a recording of a performance at the Kennedy Center in 2003:
http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/artist_detail.cfm?artist_id=SEEGERMIKE

Who said Opera and Pop Music don't mix?

Apparently there is a new opera out based on Justin Timberlake and Britany Spears! Seems like an interesting idea, but really, can it work?
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111495732&sc=fb&cc=fp

50th Anniversary of the Newport Folk Festival

This weekend was the 50th annual Newport Folk Festival held in Newport, Rhode Island. According to an NPR report, the highlight of Saturday nights performances was a sing-along by 90 year old Pete Seeger! Other performers this weekend included The Decemberists, Gillian Welch, and Fleet Foxes.

For a little history of the Newport Folk Festival:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111369533

A review of this years festival:
http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/music/general/view/20090802old_folk_and_young_mark_half_century_in_newport/srvc=home&position=3

American Music: Aaron Copland

The inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009 proved to be an historical event in American History. One of the highlights of this day was a musical performance of an arrangement of "Simple Gifts", a Shaker tune made popular by Aaron Copland (1900-1990). Copland made this Shake tune famous in his 1944 ballet Appalachian Spring, which he won a Pulitzer prize for in 1945.
This piece, "Air and Simple Gifts" is arranged by John Williams and performed by Itzhak Perlman, Yo Yo Ma, Gabriela Montero and Anthony McGill.