and then it hits you! What a great advert. BAM is the acronym for Brooklyn Academy of Music which is much more than that: theatre, movies, events, quite a roaster of choices. Saw Jonathan Pryce in The Caretaker written by Harold Pinter. But it is their ad that always draws me in first. BAM, and …
Category Archives: Music
Essentially Ellington 2012
Wow. You have to see this for yourself one day. The final concert of the three top placing bands from American high schools that compete playing Duke Ellington music. It is sponsored by Lincoln Center and overseen by Wynton Marsalis. More than 1700 high school bands are part of the EE network. 111 bands sent …
Instruments on Board
Instruments in the subway are a source of amusement. The bass on the left has it’s own wheels. The bass on the right is a u-lug. Boys with violins below. Undocumented I have seen accordions, keyboards, and those small boxes that contain, flutes, clarinets and other small woodwinds. Probably saw a sax and thought it …
Practical Practice
The wail of a saxophone through the low-ceilinged spaces of the subway hubs, the din of an enthusiastic young band, the soulful solo of a lone violinist, all collecting money as they play. A great practical practice idea for a musician; a ready made audience. Some passersby will pay attention and drop money into the …
YaaMaan
The subway conductor was announcing the approaching station stops in the most musical but heavy Jamaican accent. As the train progressed south bound, he gave the feel that he was really enjoying himself as he called out the ‘approaching stations’ and ‘to not stand in the way of the door’, ‘nor try to hold the …
Fun and Free
Went with a friend last night to the second floor of the Hilton Hotel on 6th Avenue where every 20 minutes another music or dance performance was taking place. The venue was the APAP [Association of Performing Arts Presenters] Showcase 2012. What a wonder! Of course we saw the Dana Leong Trio: electric cello, guitar, …
Chance Meeting
I stared at the ends of his shawl, the tassels were woven with beautiful threads. It was hanging below his jacket, just about eye level to me where I sat on the subway. The car was crowded, so he was rather close, hanging onto the rail above. My fascination with the textile quality of this …
More 5th Avenue
One of my favorite sights: the ultra-expensive jewel-box jewelry store with million dollar bling in the plate-glass front window while on the corner outside a hotdog-pretzel-seller at his cart is sending up smoke clouds as he fires up his grill. It costs to walk down 5th Avenue at Christmas. Dollars to the unique percussion performer …