I solved a tricky little problem today and want to document it in case anyone else encounters it. But first, some background. Our ballroom dance club is trying something different at our March dance. Up to now, we’ve always had live music, and that tradition will continue. But, for a variety of reasons, we’re going… Continue reading Seeking Silence
Category: Music
Santana in Las Vegas
I made my first visit to Las Vegas last week, and I don’t plan on returning anytime soon. The exception would be if someone offers us tickets to see another performance by Santana at the Hard Rock Hotel, which was the high point of our trip. The show is called Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through… Continue reading Santana in Las Vegas
Random Thursday
Scattershooting while making frantic preparations to defend the Gazette against the inevitable attack by WikiLeaks sympathizers who are targeting high profile websites. While most people probably look for novels to read during summer vacations, the year-end holiday season is also a good excuse to look for some light reading, especially when curled up by a… Continue reading Random Thursday
Getting i on Music
I saw this on Facebook earlier today but didn’t take the time to watch it until my pal Jeff emailed a link to me. It’s definitely worth 7 minutes of your time. See, this is what happens when geeks are allowed into worship bands. The next thing you know, we’ll have rappers doing the preaching.… Continue reading Getting i on Music
Quantifying Melodic Similarities
I read a science fiction short story many years ago where the plot involved someone composing the last possible piece of music. Every combination of musical notes had been created. I don’t recall the author (it sounds like something Bradbury or Lieber or Ellison would come up with), or even the rest of the plot… Continue reading Quantifying Melodic Similarities
Say, that song sounds vaguely familiar…
I made this observation on Facebook yesterday, but I’m obsessive-compulsive enough to feel a need to expand it here. My Facebook comment got zero responses and so I don’t expect that this post will garner much discussion, but I’m doing it anyway, out of principle. Toby Keith has a relatively new song that’s getting some… Continue reading Say, that song sounds vaguely familiar…
Using Actors In Place of the Real Thing
Did you catch Gwyneth Paltrow’s performance at the Country Music Awards a couple of weeks ago (watch it on YouTube)? Paltrow is, of course, an Oscar-winning actress, and with more than forty movies under her belt, is probably intimidated by nothing. But it had to give her pause, appearing before many of the most talented,… Continue reading Using Actors In Place of the Real Thing
Apple to increase iTunes previews to 90 seconds
It’s about time, literally and figuratively. The AppleBlog reports that iTunes song previews (for tracks longer than 2.5 minutes) will be tripled in length, to 90 seconds. I’ve long argued for this change. Thirty seconds simply isn’t long enough to decide if you like a relatively unfamiliar song (or a familiar one in a new… Continue reading Apple to increase iTunes previews to 90 seconds
And…another stroll down memory lane: Wiley Walker & Gene Sullivan
Update [October, 2011]: C.S. Fuqua has published a book entitled “Alabama Musicians: Musical Heritage from the Heart of Dixie.” Why do I tell you this? Because Gene Sullivan was from Alabama, and Mr. Fuqua included a chapter about him in the book. He also included the photo shown below, and provided yours truly with a… Continue reading And…another stroll down memory lane: Wiley Walker & Gene Sullivan
Another stroll down memory lane: Bewley’s Chuck Wagon Gang
Below is another scan from Debbie’s mom’s collection of ’30s and ’40s memorabilia. The Chuck Wagon Gang is still going strong (I wonder what the original group would have thought about the idea of a website?), billing itself as “the oldest recording mixed gospel group still performing with ties to the original founding.” The scan… Continue reading Another stroll down memory lane: Bewley’s Chuck Wagon Gang