8:00am Tuesday 14th February 2012 in Local By William Tomaney

A MUSICIAN from Kidderminster is rocking into town with his guitar business.

Phil Preece will open Beryl Guitars at Mercian House, Coventry Street on Saturday.

mr Preece, who studied music at Kidderminster College, started designing and manufacturing the guitars two and a half years ago and is now ready to open his first retail showroom.

he said: “Being from Kidderminster it seemed logical for me to come full circle and I wanted to give something back to the community.

“There is a lack of this kind of store in the area. we have a buzzing music scene with local bands and the college and they have to get on the train to get anything.

“We also hope we can help boost the local economy. we are looking forward to the launch it will be absolutely fantastic.”

the guitarist also worked for Yamaha as a guitar instructor before starting his own business. Beryl Guitars has built a strong reputation and has appeared at music events and festivals throughout the UK.

mr Preece hopes opening the store in the town will attract local guitarists and musicians and encourage more people to get involved in Kidderminster’s music scene.

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DALLAS–(EON: Enhanced Online News)–Transplace, a leading provider of transportation management and logistics technology announced today that Hohner inc., an international distributor of musical instruments, has selected the award-winning third party logistics (3PL) provider to manage inbound United States shipments from China. Transplace will employ its award-winning, web-based technology to achieve greater visibility, reduce transportation costs and improve overall operational efficiency.

“with its international experience and capabilities, Transplace is the right strategic partner to help Hohner achieve greater visibility and control of our supply chain, in order to better serve our customers and attain our business goals.”

Based in Glen Allen, Va., Hohner inc. distributes musical instruments, including harmonicas, accordions, recorders, melodicas, guitars, ukuleles, drums and drum accessories.

“Hohner is committed to providing the highest quality instruments and service to our customers,” said Barbara Koch, logistics manager at Hohner. “With its international experience and capabilities, Transplace is the right strategic partner to help Hohner achieve greater visibility and control of our supply chain, in order to better serve our customers and attain our business goals.”

The instrument manufacturer will leverage Transplace’s award-winning technology and Lean six Sigma-based processes to deliver visibility into shipments of inbound ocean containers from Asia to Hohner’s facilities throughout the United States. The end result will be improved inventory management and streamlined supply chain operations.

“Leveraging Transplace’s international experience and strong relationships in Asia, we can help ensure 360-degree visibility of all shipments, on-time deliveries and cost savings,” said Sheila Hewitt, vice president of international, Transplace. “We are committed to working closely with Hohner to understand its business needs and help the manufacturer ensure operational success across its global supply chain.”

About Hohner inc.

Hohner has distributed musical instruments since the late 1800‘s and is one of the world’s oldest musical instrument companies. Its U.S. brands include: Hohner Harmonicas, Accordions, Melodicas, Recorders, Fretted Instruments, and Hohner Kids Musical Toys; Sonor Drums, Sonor Orff; Lanikai Ukuleles, and Kohala Ukuleles. Hohner, inc. is located in Glen Allen, Virginia. for Hohner’s U.S. dealer listings, please click here.

About Transplace

Transplace is a non-asset, North American based third party logistics (3PL) provider offering manufacturers, retailers and consumer packaged goods companies the optimal blend of logistics technology and transportation management services. From complete logistics management outsourcing to intelligent transportation management systems (TMS) and supply chain network planning and design to high-quality brokerage services, Transplace has proven the ability to deliver both rapid return on investment and consistent value to customers. The company is recognized among the elite global 3PLs by a customer base that includes many of the largest shippers in the world. to learn more about how Transplace, please visit transplace.com.

Follow the company on Twitter, Facebook and the Transplace Industry Blog:blog.transplace.comtwitter.com.transplacefacebook.com/transplace

<a href="http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20120214005144/en/Transportation/Logistics/3PLtag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20120214005144/en/Transportation/Logistics/3PLWed, 15 Feb 2012 07:24:05 GMT”>Hohner Selects Transplace to Manage International Shipments

We’re glad they’re back again, and we hope that’s not the last of it. Linkin Park was rocking to a crowd of 11,000 people at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Nov 13, with their first concert held 3 years ago at the Padang where 15,000 tickets were snapped up by hungry fans.

After waiting for what seemed like eternity (1 really long hour), the band finally started playing behind a veil, opening the act with a short but loud excerpt of “Wake” which transitioned smoothly to “Given Up”. no surprise here, the crowd went absolutely wild. Having anticipated for the band to come on for a long time, the crowd was screaming and cheering even though it was clear that the stray strumming of the guitar was only a sound check earlier on.

The veil fell and revealed the band as they played their opening piece, which was a loud, energetic number that brought the house down with all the hysterical screaming from fans. despite opening with a track from their latest album, Minutes to Midnight, everyone in the house knew the lyrics of the song, displaying their true blue adoration for the band as they sung along to lead vocalist, Chester Bennington.

From the opening act, the band played one head banging, heart stopping track after another, leaving the audience with little time to catch their breath or take a sip of water. In the free standing area, the crowd was clearly enjoying themselves, jumping and constantly lifting their hands into the air, moving to the music. That said, even the audience that were seated and in the balcony areas stood up to groove along to the beat with the encouragement of Chester and Mike Shinoda, the other vocalist of the band, known for his rapping.

Chester took a moment to talk to the audience, joking about how “ruthless” the Singaporean fans were, snatching his jewellery and practically clawing at him when he went off stage to shake hands. Mike joined in the bantering and made the crowd laugh with his light flirting with Chester by asking Chester if he could pinch his buttocks, and even said that the people there were “excellent”.

While their stage did not have the best of props and theatrics, especially when compared to recently held concerts such as Christina Aguilera’s back To Basics Concert and Heaven and Hell’s one-night-only gig at Fort Canning Park, which had more elaborate sets, the American band really didn’t need it any of that as the electrifying vibes were strong enough to move the audience.

The band played a good mix of both new songs from their latest album and old hits such as ‘Crawling’, ‘Numb’ and ‘In the End’ from albums inclusive of Hybrid Theory and Meteora. a notable performance was a piano cover of the track from Hybrid Theory, Pushing me away, with Mike on the keyboard and Chester on vocals. although one can easily watch a clip of the guys performing this touching piece on YouTube at their various concerts, nothing can ever beat hearing it live, with intense emotion echoing in Chester’s voice.

What seemed strange, however, was when the band members walked away from the stage right at the 80-minute point, leaving the audience confused. Some thought it marked the end of the concert, and even started heading for the exit. hopefully they didn’t leave, as the band came back after 5 minutes and played the last 5 numbers in their song list.

The band finally closed with their 2nd single from Minutes to Midnight, ‘Bleed it Out’. it was a night of no frills, simplicity and where sheer voice and raw energy took the stage.

This week, before his DJ set at U Street Music Hall’s “Red Fridays” event, the Washington Informer caught up with the versatile music man for an interview in which he discussed several topics including his feelings on “celebrity” DJ’s, the ever-changing music industry, Stevie wonder, and what draws him to DC.

Washington Informer: you started deejaying at a young age; who or what inspired you when you first got started?

DJ Spinna: I’ve been playing my dad’s records since the age of 3. By the time I was 11 years ago I was practicing with a pair of mixed matched turntables, one Pioneer that my uncle had and a Technics SL-B303. This was before the Technics 1200 came out. I was inspired mainly by local block party DJ’s in Brooklyn and radio mix master DJ’s including Tony Humphries, Shep Pettibone, Timmy Regisford, Larry Levan. When I first heard Grandmaster Flash’s record “The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel” in 1981 I was floored and knew that I had to pursue the DJ thing. that was the first DJ routine record ever recorded and he did it with three turntables.

WI: has it always been two turntables and your SP 1200 or did you ever want to rock the mic?

DJ Spinna: I didn’t own an SP 1200 drum machine until 1994 which was given to me by Todd Terry. Prior to that I would borrow or use the machines in the recording studios. However I did record vocals with my group Jigmastas before we actually started making records in 1996. I hated hearing myself in playback. But I think if I decided to rhyme again I would be pretty good. sometimes I get the urge to write rhymes but my deejaying and studio time keeps me occupied enough.

WI: the music industry has changed a lot since the “Everybody Bounce” days. What do you miss the most?

DJ Spinna: I miss what people would call “real hip hop” being the norm in the mainstream. the industry is dominated by formulaic assembly line produced music that won’t last for years to come, and the music sounds extra cheesy to me. There’s no soul. I’m already noticing that records made from a certain era are now being celebrated by a younger generation who didn’t get to experience it because they were too young. I’m not certain that records made in the last 10 years will have the same effect, unless of course it has substance. Kanye and Jay Z’s “Otis” won a Grammy a few nights ago. I hope that is a sign that things will change. Sampling needs to come back.

WI: A friend of mine has a clothing line, one of his first t-shirts was one that said, “Just because you have a thousand songs on your iPod doesn’t make you a DJ.” how do you feel about all the “celebrity” and “iPod” DJs that have come up lately?

DJ Spinna: I think it’s terrible. Technology has made it easy for everyone to call themselves a “DJ”. the bottom line is, if deejaying was only done with the vinyl format, it would eliminate the fraudulent. It’s too costly and you really have to be dedicated to keep up. the flipside of this is, the real DJ that’s paid their dues and are true to the art will stand out amongst those that are doing it just because they think it’s cool or

WI: how influential has Stevie wonder been for you and what inspired the “Wonder-Full” party?

DJ Spinna: I love Stevie wonder and his music. I consider myself a Stevie wonder student. his philanthropic efforts as well as his song writing and music production are unmatched. He’s influenced my approach to production heavily, and he’s made me understand how being a person of peace and love is important, especially through music. I think about that every time I spin. It’s not just about the act of playing the music, but uniting people from all walks of life to become one under the banner of universal love. the Wonder-FULL party was sparked in 1999 after a small intimate celebration of Songs in the Key of Life, in a small club called Baby Jupiter in the lower east side of Manhattan. Bobbito and I shortly after that event created the now legendary “Wonder Wrote It” mix CD’s compiling rare Stevie wonder productions, compositions and performances. This then evolved into the first Wonder-FULL party in 2001 and has continued every year around his birthday which is May 13. Stevie told me personally during his first 2005 appearance at the party, that he’s thankful for the event, and he wants me to continue to spread his message and music, and never stop. that moment defined my entire life.

WI: “Wonder-Full” or “Soul Slam”?

DJ Spinna: Both. they are two different kinds of parties. the Wonder-FULL party is more of a spiritual and emotional celebration, while Soul Slam is an all out jam from beginning to end. the late Michael Jackson, RIP, and Prince simply made too many dance floor crushers that keep the energy up all night. Michael and Prince impacted MTV in the 80′s, so visually people also use that to celebrate by coming in Prince and MJ attire wearing purple laced gloves and capes, polka dot shirts a la the “When Doves Cry” video, capes, white gloves, “Thriller” jackets, Billie Jean T-shirts, etc.

WI: You’ve rocked crowds from NYC to Iceland. how are the crowds different in the U.S. compared to overseas?

DJ Spinna: People overseas are more open minded musically. I can take more risks with my selection. in the US, the percentage of good music lovers are small in comparison. Mainstream media have the brains of the masses tricked out to the point where people don’t know what’s good anymore. There’s a 30 year plus music festival called the Southport Weekender that happens in the UK every year. There’s different

rooms specializing in multi genres ranging from, Jazz, Soul, Funk, House, Hip Hop, Reggae, Disco, R&B, etc. Top of the line artists and DJ’s travel from all over the globe to perform. from Raphael Saadiq, to Roy Ayers, to Naughty By Nature, pretty much everybody. There’s no reason why something like this can’t happen here in the US.

WI: if I’m correct, this will be your fourth time playing DC, three “Wonder-Full” events and your upcoming set at U Street Music Hall. What draws you to DC?

DJ Spinna: I’ve done DC more than three times, and Wonder-FULL has only happened twice, believe it or not. I’ve done U Street once last year as well. I love DC because it’s a chocolate city. I love seeing different shades of brown people in abundance when I’m deejaying. it inspires me. not to mention, good music is still supported in DC. I’ve been hearing this for years before I played DC. Indie soul artists get played on radio, and even legendary jazz artists can still count on DC to get booked, which I find very important. It’s a forgotten genre but it’s still deserving of respect because it’s America’s Classical music.

WI: the 7th Annual “DC Loves Dilla” event is here at U Street Music Hall on Sunday. tell us what J Dilla meant to you?

DJ Spinna: James Yancey was the king of the beat. he may not have had the same kind of accolades as a Dr. Dre, the Neptunes or Kanye, but even they acknowledge that he was a force to be reckoned with. he heard music in colors, and his approach to making beats came from a left of center place. he was a thinking producer, very musical, and extremely funky. his ability to pick out samples was incredible. he was also multi dimensional, his mic skill was crazy and he was pretty slick on the cuts too! Dilla was the only producer that really made me work extra hard to keep up. he was my contemporary and friend, but I was and still am a huge fan. I miss him tremendously. there will never be another Dilla in this lifetime.

WI: from Funk, Jazz and Soul, to Hip Hop, Dance and Electronic music, you have a very well-rounded, eclectic set. What can DC expect from Friday night’s set?

DJ Spinna: the energy in the room will predict what I play. Expect to sweat and dance your life away.

For more information on DJ Spinna, visit: djspinna.com, facebook.com/DJ-Spinna, twitter.com/djspinna

<a href="http://washingtoninformer.com/index.php/lifestyle/entertainment/item/5889-people-places-and-things-chatting-with-dj-spinnatag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://washingtoninformer.com/index.php/lifestyle/entertainment/item/5889-people-places-and-things-chatting-with-dj-spinnaThu, 16 Feb 2012 18:59:04 GMT”>People, Places and Things: Chatting with DJ Spinna

But don’t switch off, thinking that the application is too trivial to be bothered with. for starters, Tune it is free (and no ads in sight), so you’ve got nothing whatsoever to lose by installing it and keeping it in a corner of your smartphone.

Secondly, and going a little philosophical, there’s a distinct benefit to staying ‘old school’ and low-tech, in that the commercial sampling tuners reduce tuning each string to tweaking the tuning pegs and watching the fancy animations – you essentially stop fiddling when the display says so and never mind how the string sounds. Ultimately, as a player, you want to improve, but you also want to improve your musical ear, I’m often appalled by the numbed of players who carry on strumming something which is obviously out of tune because they just can’t ‘hear it’.

I should emphasise that I haven’t got ‘perfect pitch‘, but I can recognise when a note’s not ‘right’. In part this is because I’ve usually tuned my guitar by ear, playing a tuning fork to get a reference tone and then tuning by harmonics across the strings, or by playing the appropriate notes on a nearby electronic piano or organ and tuning to those.

Or, as here, by using a tool which can generate each of the string notes directly. The idea then is to train your ear to hear the differences between two plucked string tones and know not only which one is higher pitched (not that easy, especially when the difference is small) but how far the guitar string is ‘out’. You’ll end up being able to tune guitars quicker and quicker by ear and will feel a whole lot more musical than if you’d relied on pure electronic sampling tools.

In addition, every guitar has its own little, miniscule idiosyncrasies, i.e. no instrument is perfectly intoned. By tuning by ear, you’ll eventually be able to make these little allowances as you go.

That’s the theory then of why tuning using a simple app like Tune it can be ‘better’ then sampling utilities – but it does rely on you having a good musical ear and I accept it’s not for everyone. Tune it does its best to help by producing genuine string tones, complete with harmonics and decay, rather than just ‘pure’ tones (as if from a 1980s keyboard). So you’re not having to compare something weedy and pure with a live, messy, complicated, real world string. You effectively compare like with like, making the job much easier.

In terms of interface, you have to step through strings one at a time – each screen tap ‘plucks’ the string, as needed, then you move onto the next string with ‘Next’ and so on. this system does have the advantage that you don’t have to tap accurately – after all, you’ve got a guitar in your hands, too, the phone is probably next to you on a table, so it’s nice to just be able to tap anywhere on the virtual fretboard to hear the string sound again.

Three different tunings are supported, though in 20-odd years of playing I’ve never used anything other than ‘standard’ – I guess I’m not good, or experimental, enough! A nice tutorial walkthrough is also provided, albeit being slightly unnecessary for such a simple application and interface.

Obviously Tunerific is the most accomplished of the two applications, having both the sampling and string-sound functions, but if you just want something fast, free and effective then Tune it comes recommended. And will do its best to stop your tuning ears getting lazy!

Steve Litchfield, all about Symbian, 3 Feb 2012

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<a href="http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/reviews/item/14166_Tune_It.phptag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/reviews/item/14166_Tune_It.phpFri, 03 Feb 2012 07:47:15 GMT”>Tune It review

A native Angeleno, Kahane is the quintessential Renaissance man – a piano virtuoso in his own right, a master conductor and an accomplished linguist. his daughter says he actually owns “Harry Potter” in both Russian and Ancient Greek.

For the 10th year, LACO board member Joyce Fienberg chaired the annual gala that raised more than $300,000 to fund LACO’s concert series, radio broadcasts and educational programs.

In leading off the accolades, LACO Concertmaster Margaret Batjer said, “Jeff is the musician’s musician. he can find the nuance and turn a phrase in a special moment, and you cannot breathe because it is so beautiful. We are just grateful to be along for the ride.”

Joining in the heartfelt tributes were LACO Board President K. Eugene Shutler, Executive Director Rachel Fine and Kahane’s renowned musician pals, mandolinist Chris Thile, and pianist Jon Kimura Parker, who shared the piano bench with Kahane to play an awesome four-hand rendition of George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm.”

While guests dined on Mikado salad, filet mignon, asparagus and roasted potatoes, with panna cotta and a decadent chocolate cappuccino mousse for dessert, Grant Snyder presided over the requisite live auction. Items included a dinner party catered by Kahane, Batjer and her husband, composer Joel McNeely; a stay on Copacabana Beach in Rio; and a ride on a Goodyear Blimp.

Among the locals spotted were Marguerite Marsh, Marcia and David Battin, Wendy and Titus Brenninkmeijer, Agnes Lew, June Li, Jennifer and Kenneth Munday, Joel Pargman, Laurie Sowd, Kathryn Venturelli and Daphne and Chandler Williamson.

FIDM OPENER

The glamorous events surrounding next Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony got a running start on Feb. 11 when the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) staged its reception for the annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition in the FIDM Museum & Galleries.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the exhibition, which traditionally showcases the costumes from the year’s Oscar-nominated films, is quite a milestone for FIDM.

Launched in 1993 by the museum’s founding director, the late Maggie Murray, the exhibit has grown from a modest collection of about 40 costumes to more than 100 costumes per year – making it the largest annual curated exhibit dedicated to film costumes in the world.

More than 1,500 invited guests attended the bash, staged in a transparent tent on FIDM’s park-like campus, where Food Fetish caterers dispensed an anti-fashionista array of chicken pot pies, burgers, fries and petit fours.

Among the attendees were multi-Emmy Award winning designer Ret Turner; Arianne Phillips, nominee for the Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s impeccable wardrobe for the Madonna-directed “W.E”; Deborah Hopper (“J. Edgar”); FIDM grads Mona may (“Zookeeper”) and Mary Claire Hannan (“A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas”) fashion designers, Kevan Hall and Nick Verreos – both are FIDM alumni; Annie Flanders, founder of “Details” magazine ; FIDM Museum & Gallery Director Barbara Bundy; FIDM President and CEO Tonian Hohberg; and Mary Rose, president of the Costume Designers Guild.

In addition to Phillips, the nominees, up for this year’s Oscar for best Costume Design, are Lisy Christl for “Anonymous”; mark Bridges for “The Artist”; Sandy Powell for “Hugo”; and Michael O’Connor for “Jane Eyre.”

The FIDM exhibition, a collaboration between the Costume Designers Guild, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the film studios and some stars themselves, also features Colleen Atwood’s Oscar-winning creations from last year’s “Alice in Wonderland,” along with iconic treasures from the FIDM archives such as Rudolph Valentino’s “suit of lights” from “Blood and Sand”; Mabel Normand’s tiara; Mae West’s corset; and Fred Astaire’s tap shoes.

The exhibition is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through April 28 at FIDM, 919 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.a. Admission is free.

For further information, visit fidm.com.

OUTTAKE

Kudos to Rosemary Children’s Services. its first “All-In” Casino Night, held on Feb. 10 at Pasadena’s Shakespeare Club, raised $30,000. More than 125 supporters attended the event to aid the agency, which has been serving abused, abandoned and neglected children since it was first established by members of the Shakespeare Club in 1920.

pattdiroll@charter.net

<a href="http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_20002231tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_20002231Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:55:54 GMT”>Patt Diroll: Music honors, fashion showcase

30.01. | Autor: Dita Hradecká

Johann Jakob Froberger – Clavichord Fantasias

Jaroslav Tůma – klavichord. Text: Č, a. Nahráno 2009, Borovany. Vydáno: 2011. TT: neuvedeno. DDD. 1 CD Arta (2HP Production) F 10184. Nová nahrávka Jaroslava Tůmy zavádí posluchače do 17. století – doby, kdy se hudebníci dobrodružně toulali Evropou, jejíž země a regiony měly svůj specifický ráz. ten se otiskl do myslí i tvorby putujících hráčů a skladatelů, a ať už dokážeme tyto vlivy zaznamenat, či ne, je pro nás tato hudba, nesvázaná pravidly, osvěžující a překvapivá. Jméno skladatele Johanna Jakoba Frobergera je na obalu nové desky z produkce české firmy Arta vyvedeno stejně velkým písmem jako jméno interpreta Jaroslava Tůmy. to není neskromnost: když otevřeme booklet, zjistíme, že devět z jedenadvaceti tracků jsou Tůmovy vlastní improvizace, jimž daly podnět Frobergerovy motivy. Johann Jakob Froberger je v dějinách hudby vlivnou postavou, ale z jeho života známe jen fragmenty. Narodil se ve Stuttgartu roku 1616 a smrt jej zastihla o jednapadesát let později ve Francii. Působil jako hudebník u vídeňského dvora, pobyl v Římě u Frescobaldiho, Florencii, Mantově, na dlouhém putování se zastavil v Drážďanech, Bruselu a přes Antverpy se dostal do Paříže. U šlechtických dvorů byl pro své hráčské schopnosti vřele vítán a podle badatelů není vyloučené, že těchto příležitostí využíval i ke špionáži pro svého zaměstnavatele… Jak Froberger zaznamenal v záhlaví své Suity č. 30, jeho loď na cestě do Londýna přepadli piráti, takže na britskou půdu vstoupil s prázdnými kapsami. Nakonec se vrátil k císařskému dvoru ve Vídni, ale s nástupem Leopolda I. na trůn své místo ztratil. O zbývajících deseti letech Frobergerova života se dochovalo jen málo informací. Posledních osmnáct měsíců strávil ve službách ovdovělé vévodkyně Sibylly ve francouzském Montbéliard. V souboru dochovaných Frobergerových skladeb najdeme v té době obvyklé formy klávesové hudby, tedy toccaty, ricercary, suity, capriccia, fantazie. Některým dala vzniknout konkrétní příležitost, třeba úmrtí panovníka či přítele nebo rozladěnost nad zmíněnou londýnskou příhodou. Froberger sice pomohl konstituovat pravidla žánru, ale jeho hudba zní velmi svobodně. Dává tušit, že vznikla často jako improvizace před publikem a prozrazuje smysl pro humor – složil například fantazii, jejímž tématem je prvních šest tónů stupnice, čemuž vtipně kontruje svou improvizací Jaroslav Tůma, který jako základ pro passacaglii vzal také stupnici, tentokrát sestupně. Jaroslav Tůma měl při natáčení k dispozici tři nástroje z dílny německého stavitele Martina Kathera, v improvizacích vyzkoušel i hru na dva současně. Jak se píše v průvodním slovu, pro hudební fajnšmekry je klavichord ideální klávesový nástroj, umožňující ten nejúčinnější kontakt prstu se strunou. Tlakem na klávesy lze dokonce dolaďovat souzvuky a jemně vibrovat. Proto také skladatelé minulosti považovali klavichord za dokonalého prostředníka k vyjádření emocí. Ovšem málokteré ucho je dnes natolik nezasažené civilizací, že dokáže tyto nuance vnímat a ocenit. Je pochopitelné, proč se místem natáčení staly bývalé augustiniánské klášterní vinné sklepy v jihočeských Borovanech – poskytly dokonalé ticho. A zrovna takové ticho a soustředění k poslechu by se měli snažit hledat ti, kdo se rozhodnou desku si koupit. Při jízdě autem z ní požitek opravdu nezískáte. Jaroslav Tůma je velmi flexibilní muzikant, který dovede rozeznít vše, co má klávesy. Záběr jeho četných aktivit nelze vtěsnat do jednoho šuplíku a stejně tak nelze jeho přístup k interpretaci označit za „historicky poučený“. Sám vyjadřuje rezervovanost vůči tomuto hnutí v bookletu. V době, kdy je pro hráče na historické nástroje požadavek „autenticity“ nutností, což vede k jisté unifikaci, považuji Tůmův názor nikoli za snahu vymykat se, ale za sympatický návrat k přirozeným muzikantským instinktům. Improvizace je umění, které z interpretační a pedagogické praxe takřka vymizelo. Varhaníci jsou v tomto čestnou výjimkou. Přitom není většího potěšení než z hudebních myšlenek rodících se a uplývajících v jediném neopakovatelném okamžiku. Jaroslav Tůma šel o krok dál, když své improvizace nahrál (ostatně nikoli poprvé) a tím umožnil jejich opakovaný poslech a hodnocení. Až na pár jakoby tápajících míst působí velmi uvolněně, někde mile archaicky, někde překvapivě moderně – ale totéž se dá říci o jejich předobrazech, a tak se vám možná stane, že při poslechu nepoznáte, jestli jde o fantazii z roku 2009 nebo 1640. A vlastně to přestane být důležité. Nový přírůstek do bohaté diskografie Jaroslava Tůmy je zase něčím novým. Stírá hranice mezi hudbou zapsanou a improvizovanou, starou a novou. Díky dokonalému zvukovému záznamu nabízí obzvláštní sluchový požitek.Body:

Psáno pro: časopis Harmonie 2011/10

<a href="http://www.muzikus.cz/klasicka-hudba-jazz-recenze/Johann-Jakob-Froberger-Clavichord-Fantasias~30~rijen~2011/tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.muzikus.cz/klasicka-hudba-jazz-recenze/Johann-Jakob-Froberger-Clavichord-Fantasias~30~rijen~2011/Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:15:49 GMT”>Muzikus.cz – hudba – klasická hudba jazz – recenze – Johann Jakob Froberger – Clavichord Fantasias

The House that John Built – John Digweed still plays tough, dirty house. Believe it. Source: HWT Image Library

Mikey Cahill lets you know about cool club gigs n giveaways in Melbourne's dance scene.

Digweeds out the men from the boys WILL John Digweed thump out throbbing prog house goodness or get all plinky with minimal crap this Friday at Billboard The Venue? Don’t worry, it will be the former, his recent Soundcloud sets feature plenty of crunchy 4/4 nuggets. this recent effort sees Pig & Dan, Julio Bashmore, Richie G and Pawas pop up. Clubland recalls seeing Digweed play Roskilde Festival many years ago, where he began with 20 minutes of moody, fractured house before he launched into a humming/thrumming drop that made everyone in attendance rejoice in their Northern Exposure. Yep, you see what was done there.

Re-live New Years’ Eve with him right here:

Want to go to the show"? Email cahillm@news.com.au with the heading DEAR JOHN for your chance to win a double pass. Quick!

John Digweed, Billboard the Venue, 170 Russell St, city, Fri 9pm, www.billboardthevenue.com.au

Just like hunee WHAT does Animals Dancing refer to? It’s OK, you’ll work it out if you know what I mean. The local promoters are putting on some of the best parties in Melbourne right now and this Friday they host Korean-born, Berlin-based, cheeky-monkey, disco-house hot-hand Hunee. He’s released and remixed for Permanent Vacation, rush Hour & Ostgut Ton and will be joined by Tornado Wallace, Otologic and the irrepressible Andee Frost. He is a good swimmer too so if the party heads into the really early hours perhaps someone can convince him a dip in Port Phillip Bay will rejuvenate the senses.

Hunee, Mercat Hotel, 456 Queen St, city. Fri 10pm, $25, www.moshtix.com.au

Kleph palate SYDNEY jock Bass Kleph may have headed towards a more commercial sound but his jacking main-room house still has enough of his personality and he still takes no prisoners when behind the Technics. Download a fresh mix he’s done right here, right now.

Bass Kleph gets on at Super Disco this Saturday night at 1.30am, smashes a set then heads to London, Amsterdam and New York before settling in LA. Catch him at the so fresh and so clean environs of The Bottom end, the only venue in town that boasts the Australian Martini, complete with a smear of Vegemite, a bright green pickled onion and a slice of Coon cheese. Clubland dares you to buy one for Bass Kleph.Bass Kleph, Superdisco, The Bottom end, 579 Little Collins St, city. Sat 10pm. www.superdiscocats.myfullseat.com/events

<a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/special-reports/clubland-finds-john-digweed-can-still-play-four-to-the-floor/story-e6frf8v6-1226266760206tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/special-reports/clubland-finds-john-digweed-can-still-play-four-to-the-floor/story-e6frf8v6-1226266760206Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:45:06 GMT”>Clubland has giveaways for John Digweed, a fresh mix by Bass Kleph and a dollop of Hunee.

LOS ANGELES — From around 1910 to the late 1920s, the silent film industry dominated Los Angeles. The movies were filmed everywhere, from Hollywood to bustling downtown to what was then a nearly barren valley area, on the other side of the Hollywood Hills. Without permits, unions or worries about sound, filmmakers could just grab a camera and shoot scenes on the spot, transforming various L.a. locales into any place the script called for. Hollywood was truly the Wild West, infinitely more accessible then than now.

“The Artist,” a Golden Globe winner and Oscar contender that hearkens back to the lost art of telling a story in black and white, without talking, has renewed interest in that early genre. Fortunately, many of the locations where exteriors were filmed during the silent film era still exist today, and you can find them hidden around the city like historic gems.

“Southern California was perfectly situated” as a backdrop for all types of movie settings, said film historian John Bengtson, author of the books “Silent Traces: Discovering Early Hollywood through the Films of Charlie Chaplin,” “Silent Echoes: Discovering Early Hollywood through the Films of Buster Keaton” and “Silent Visions: Discovering Early Hollywood and New York through the Films of Harold Lloyd.”

“There was a diversity of geological features, the beach, desert,” Bengtson said. “There were rough terrains for the Westerns. there were mountains. there were lakes. Downtown Los Angeles was a thriving city, so you got your urban shots. It was just ideal.”

Bengtson started researching then-and-now locations from scenes in the films of silent comedy stars Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd more than 15 years ago, without the help of the Internet. He’s since identified dozens of locations, and has conducted various silent film walking tours.

One famous image from that era that lives on shows Lloyd clumsily climbing up the side of a building in downtown Los Angeles to escape a police officer in the 1923 romantic comedy “Safety Last!” Lloyd, in his signature straw hat and round horn-rimmed glasses, then grasps onto a large clock on the building. he hangs on for dear life with traffic rushing far below. The long, nail-biting scene has been referenced in multiple movies, from “Back to the Future” to one of this year’s Oscar best picture nominees, Martin Scorsese’s kid adventure “Hugo.”

And the tall building in downtown L.a. where Lloyd shot that famed clock scene still stands, at 908 S. Broadway. The clock, constructed specifically for the movie, doesn’t. The beautiful Orpheum Theatre, which didn’t open until three years after the movie was shot, in 1926, is next door.

A building facade was actually built on the 908 S. Broadway building’s roof, along with a camera tower to film the set, in order to create the illusion of steep height, keeping the building’s roof out of frame, but with actual views of the street below, said Bengtson. There’s a palpable sense of anxiety in viewing the movie, with Lloyd avoiding dogs and wayward wooden planks plunging out of windows as he scrambles up. Lloyd filmed many projects downtown, said Bengtson.

“They didn’t have CGI (computer generated imagery) then. they did have glass paintings,” said Randy Haberkamp, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ director of educational programming. “They would paint out part of the city. You would see a famous hill in the Los Angeles area, and you would say, ‘Where was that house there?’ they could create a sense of depth and danger. The artists of that era were so clever.”

Kansas-born actor and director Keaton, with his melancholy good looks, sad eyes, dark hair and deadpan expression, is best known for silent films from the late 1920s like “Steamboat Bill Jr.” and “The General,” set in the American Civil War. Keaton filmed many short and full-length comedies in Hollywood, downtown, west of downtown and in the beachside Venice and Santa Monica areas near the Pacific Ocean.

In his 1921 short film “Hard Luck,” a suicidal and broke Keaton gets into all sorts of shenanigans, including being chased by a bear and unsuccessfully trying to hang himself. At one point, eluding police, he poses as a statue next to an imposing bronze statue of General Harrison Gray Otis, longtime owner and publisher of the Los Angeles Times, in MacArthur Park, 2230 W. Sixth St., by Wilshire and Park View Street, west of downtown.

The statue still stands today, pointing in the direction of Otis’ old house. At that time, there wasn’t a great deal of public art in L.a., said Bengtson, so Keaton creatively used the sculpture as a backdrop. Physical comedy worked seamlessly with soundless cinema.

Comedy duo Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, who started off in silent film, also utilized broad swaths of L.a., including the now-hipster enclave of Silver Lake on the eastern side of town.

In one of their best-known talkie films, “The Music Box” (1932), the pair attempts to push a piano up a multi-tiered outdoor staircase, only to have it fly down the stairs after them. The staircase, named the “Music Box Steps” in the ’90s, is next to 923-935 Vendome St., near the intersection of Del Monte, in a quiet, residential Silver Lake area lined with shrubs, flanked on either side by houses and marked by a black commemorative plaque on one of the stairs.

It turns out the staircase was first used by Laurel and Hardy in their then-popular but now lost 1927 silent film “Hats Off” in a scene involving the two hauling up a huge, round washing machine. According to stills from the movie, only overgrown fields surrounded the stairs at the time.

Actor, writer and director Chaplin, iconic as a vagrant, big-hearted character known as the Tramp in many of his silent films, complete with bushy short mustache and black bowler hat, filmed all around L.a. before settling into his Charlie Chaplin Studios, 1416 N. La Brea Ave., in the heart of Hollywood. The structure is now the Jim Henson Company Lot, with a statue of Henson creation Kermit the Frog dressed as Chaplin in his recognizable hat and jacket above the main gate. Concrete footprints of Chaplin are also there.

Chaplin’s studio opened in 1918, and most of his known films were mainly shot on the premises, including feature-length hit 1921 silent dramedy “The Kid” and the 1925 romantic comedy “The Gold rush.” Chaplin’s 1919 silent short film “A Day’s Pleasure” starts off with Chaplin and his fictional wife and kids trying to take off in their clunky car outside the back corner of Chaplin’s studio.

Several outdoor scenes for “The Kid” were shot at packed downtown L.a. Mexican marketplace Olvera Street, years before the alley was converted into a tourist attraction, across from the current L.a. train hub Union Station, 800 N. Alameda St. a particularly poignant, emotional scene in “The Kid,” when Chaplin reunites with his scrappy adopted son, played by Jackie Coogan, takes place outside an old brick building structure, still in place at Olvera Street.

The synchronicity of emotion, environment, celebrity and public access in L.a. made silent films powerful for their era, before talking pictures added layers of complication, both technically and professionally, for actors and filmmakers. Silent movies had a worldwide, universal appeal, even if only filmed within what was then the small town scope of Hollywood.

“Because you didn’t hear the stars speak, their faces, their pantomime, was important. there was an automatic romance to that too. You imagined what your leading lady or man sounded like,” said Haberkamp. “Sometimes, when it comes to talking, sometimes less is more. I think people who love silent films really appreciate body language and other things that are communicated. There’s a deeper human understanding that you can get.”

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<a href="http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120219/LIFE07/202190306/-1/LIFEtag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120219/LIFE07/202190306/-1/LIFESun, 19 Feb 2012 05:09:21 GMT”>Loved ‘The Artist’? See LA’s old silent film spots

Fort Worth — in a Saturday afternoon recital that was the result of years of planning and commissioning, pianist Anthony de Mare opened his performance by making a verbal case for Stephen Sondheim's standing as a top American composer. That should be a no-brainer for theater lovers, who have long known Sondheim as the reigning king of musicaldom.

But de Mare's proclamation was for the Van Cliburn Foundation crowd—the performance, Liaisons: Re-Imagining Sondheim, was on the Cliburn at the Modern series—who should consider Sondheim up there with Copland, Gershwin and Bernstein.

And then he set out to prove it, playing works inspired by Sondheim songs by such noted composers as William Bolcom, Steve Reich and Jake Heggie.

The reworkings had each composer's style stamped on them. the tunes included Gabriel Kahane's “Being Alive” (from Company), Fred Hersch's “No One Is Alone” (Into the Woods) and, in one of the more interesting versions, David Rakowski's take on “The Ladies Who Lunch” (Company), with bossa nova lines and an evocation of the character, Joanne, who sings that song. Hard to do, considering those lyrics (and Elaine Stritch's original performance) are probably among the best known of any Sondheim tune, except maybe “Send in the Clowns.”

Bolcom's piece was called ”A Little Night Fughetta,” and used ”Send in the Clowns” and ”Anyone Can Whistle” (from the musical of the same name). in a similar vein, Ricardo Lorenz's “The Worst [Empanadas] in London” was a tribute to Sweeney Todd, taken mostly from ”The Worst Pies in London” and “A Little Priest,” but also ”Pretty Women” and “My Friends,” and infused several Latin American styles, including meringue.

Paul Moravec and Jake Heggie each gave new titles to their songs, taken from lyrics in their respective selections. Moravec's was ”I Think about you,” riffing on “Losing My Mind” from Follies (and the descent into madness was evident in de Mare's performance); and Heggie created “I'm Excited. no You're Not” from A Little Night Music's ”A Weekend in the Country.”

The repetition Steve Reich is known for was apparent in “Finishing the Hat” (from Sunday in the Park with George), with a second piano part that was recorded and played under it (also played by de Mare).

Ethan Iverson's “Send in the Clowns” was written as if it were played spontaneously on an upright piano in a saloon. Sounding closer to their source material than many of the tunes were Ricky Ian Gordon's “Every Day a Little Death” (A Little Night Music); and Kenji Bunch's “The Demon Barber (A Fantasia on 'the Ballade of Sweeney Todd').”

All the while, de Mare would introduce the sections and stress Sondheim's fondness for collaboration, creating a show as a joint venture not just with the book writers (and early on, the lyricists, until he took on that role), but with directors, designers and performers, too. That's something he learned from one of his mentors, Oscar Hammerstein.

And as if to upturn that notion, Shields-Collins Bray, the Fort Worth Symphony's principal pianist who curates the Cliburn at the Modern series, and introduces the guests, had some fun as a collaborator with de Mare. doing the page-turner duties during Eric Rockwell's ”You could Drive a Person Crazy” (from Company), he'd miss his cues, stand between pianist and audience, run off with the music and return only to place it upside-down, and do another annoying things that might have turned up in pianists' nightmares of psychotic page turners.

Considering that Rockwell is known for the clever musical parody the Musical of Musicals: the Musical—in which the styles of Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jerry Herman and the teams of Kander and Ebb and Rodgers and Hammerstein are each parodied using the same melodrama plotline (“I can't pay the rent” / “you must pay the rent!” )—it seemed entirely fitting.

Send in the clowns, indeed. 

<a href="http://www.theaterjones.com/reviews/20120204082523/2012-02-07/Cliburn-Concerts/Liaisons:-Re-Imagining-Sondheimtag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.theaterjones.com/reviews/20120204082523/2012-02-07/Cliburn-Concerts/Liaisons:-Re-Imagining-SondheimTue, 07 Feb 2012 21:08:28 GMT”>Review: Liaisons: Re-Imagining Sondheim