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Hey Si! Welcome “back”! Awesome new site and Dose project! “Serious music, for serious listeners.”
(Thoroughly enjoying the 2002 Charleston solo concert too!)
Take care, and thanks so much for all the work, as it is so appreciated.
Todd
Greetings “Board” members! It’s been a while…
I think you all are right. Here’s something from my listening angle:
The month or so ago, I heard a song on the radio (WNCW) the was playing one of Charlie Haden’s new releases. I didn’t even know Bruce was guest pianist on that particular song, but I stopped what I was doing, turned up the volume, and thought, “Wow, that piano sounds like Bruce!” I quick-searched the playlist, and found it was so. It wasn’t Bruce’s band, or even his voice, but you tell me how a piano can “sound” like Bruce??
In my very unqualified opinion, I believe Bruce’s “piano-sound” comes from 1) very assured/confident/firm as well as exposed melodic lines, 2) definitely the 2-handed independence (you go, David D!) 3) a very “Bruce’d” style of counterpoint, syncopation, with consistently unmuddied voicings, and 4) very clever and fluid flourishes that remove any doubt that you’re listening to Bruce’s signature in the music, that is not dependent on the band. That’s why you can hear his piano in the Dead or Ricky’s music…heck, even Lowe’s commercials!
Ok, enough of me. What do the rest of you think/hear/visualize?
Todd
Oh David, David…
“Any takers on the Circus on the Moon…”
I appreciate your confidence that one of us might actually pull it off! If I attempted, you’d have to re-name Caesar Salad and call it something like “Chopped Bleu Cheese Salad” or “Sad Moove”!
I can play the first few lines of the solo interlude, but after that, Bruce goes crazy! If I could actually DO that, I would be touring myself! You’ve no doubt heard the new Jazz CD? Lots of two-handed goings-on there. Charlie & Woody should get a Grammy! It is astounding!
Seriously, though, if you take Circus and SLOW it down via Media Player or some such, it can help you at least figure out what notes are being played in each hand.
Happy Prestidigitations friend! Good luck with Mid-Life! (tell me about it…)
Todd
Quote:Whenever I attempt “Spider Fingers”, my dog (an Old English Sheep Dog), runs upstairs and hides. 😆 Can’t get away fast enough! 😆Ha! My wife does the same thing!! She runs upstairs and hides!
I agree with Daverich. Gotta be that hammering G tone repeating and resonating….Or maybe it’s that I have attempted that song for the last 3 years for hours at a time…(don’t feel bad about not gettin it, David!)
Prestidigitations!
ToddWow!
David, awesome interpretation…
Am I just too simplistic here, or did BH just write a song to compete with the immortal Big Rock Candy Mtn?
Perhaps trading the “streams of alcohol” for the pop-psychology of today: “Used to be a mouse, now I can roar…”(And, not to mention, a great opportunity to show off the two-handed independence?)
I think such verses like “all the little children, hands up high…waiting for the sugar plum falling from the sky” possess great irony: like in Willie Wonka, all the greedy got their just reward.
Is this a play on today’s “entitlement” mentality? Mama Government will fix everything, like a big sugar plum fairy…?
Ok, gotta go to bed now….Ya’ll write back now, ya hear?
Todd
Marcus wrote:Bruce gives a 2 minute tutorial on two hand independence in the “Three Nights on the Town” DVD…Right on, Marcus!
You’re totally right. That 2 minutes is an excellent intro to the 2-handed D-F-G 5ths cadence with right hand improv. Is the foundation for “King of the Hill.” Way cool!
If Bruce would put out a 20 minute tutorial called the “Hornsby Hanons”, I would be first in line to purchase! Wonder if he’d do it? Video would be great, but even CD/manuscript would work.
How’s it coming with the Brucercises, David?
–Todd
Re: Two Hand Independence/Circus
David Day wrote:On the right hand, I can’t seem to get the G to G# thing. What is the time signature of left vs right? Is G# on the right 1/2 beat after F on the left?Glad you’re enjoying! Those “Brucercises” sometimes make me want to give it up, but then I always come back to the piano more challenged as a musician.
And, I am sorry I’m not more clear on the G thing. (G# is not at all happy with F!! Don’t do it!!)
Let me put it differently. The “time signature” is the same for both hands, 4/4, but I think you mean the rhythm of the rh over the lh ECAFE bass descent. While the ECAFE is on the beat (quarter notes), try rh eighth notes on each beat BB GG(natural) EE CC E (repeating 1st main lh theme for the next measure, just using rh octave E or B, then repeat above. Throw in some 16ths, leave out some downbeat notes, etc).
Improvising is important here, as it would take a whole lot of practice to get the actual Bruce runs down. I can’t stress enough listening to the actual piece while playing. If you have Windows Media Player, or equivalent, you can slow down a section to listen to it. Sounds awful, but you can picking up at a slower tempo the notes and rhythms of the Circus sequences.
Here’s some suggestions:
Try adding grace notes to the BB GG EE etc, try ending on B, try F chord arpeggios over the ECAFE descent, finish with a 1/2 step scale up to the 3rd high E. But do it S_L_O_W_L_Y_ or it will drive you crazy!Enough for now. Hope this helps a little! Happy prestidigitations David!
Todd
J.V. is awesome!
Great bass player, doing what he loves. And what a great smile! That guy cheers me up every time I view “3 Nights”, or one of Si’s video doses, especially the one with the pink wig. (You all gotta see that one!)
And master bass player J. V. is absolutely excellent about responding to those who drop him a line on his website. He gets right back to you and seems to smile right through his replies.
At the Biltmore House (the “Vandy Palace”) I observed he was just having a blast looking out over the crowd. What he explained to me later was the awesome effect the rear stage lighting produced, casting his silhouetted shadow in very LARGE form on to the side of the House! Said that he felt like the “Count” looming over the estate!
But what great playing and unsurpassed style and skill J. V. exhibits at each performance! Keep on, Master Thumpin Smilin Bass Man!
Todd
Re: Two Hand Independence (“Circus” modulation)
David,
Great! Oh, you won’t have to read 8ths or quarters for this part. Just use your ears.
Ok, I won’t confuse this issue with another mind-blowing thing Bruce does on that 1st sequence. The “flat” sounding phrase then comes in the l.h. bass line, beginning with the downbeat, and ON each beat: E C A F (yes) E.
(that F to E bass line might explain why it sounds flat, but you’re really spelling out an F chord before returning to E)
Try that until you can do it in your sleep while playing E octaves in the r.h. on the beat. It always sounds good, regardless of the l.h. note being played. Advance your quarter notes to eighths, (on and off beats) in the r.h., always returning to the E sequence once between modulations. It really helps to play along with the Halcyon album, where you clearly hear the bass piano line.
Do that for a few hours, (or weeks…) and begin improvising the r.h. throughout. Do what sounds good to you, but keep consistent in the l.h. Run up the E major scale in r.h. several times from middle E to the next octave.
Hint: Try a few times, before you do the ECAFE (above) bass line descent, try beginning on B with 8ths, B B A A G# G# EE in the r.h., then on the CAFE in rh play GG (NATURAL) EE CC EC B. Get bored? Try syncopating rh melodies (playing triplets over the straight quarter and eighth bass lines).
I better quit here and see how it goes with you. This is in no way as advanced as what Bruce does, but it is a start.
Man, I know what you mean about Bruce’s fantastic 2-handed plays getting stuck in your head. I think Bruce should write a two-handed exercise book called “Bruce’s Hanons” or something!
Plus the fact he often sings along with it an independent melody line, plus clever lyrics, PLUS the fact he WROTE the whole thing…Plus the fact that he varies the styles to where you never tire of it, that is very strong musicianship in my opinion.
Hope this helps! Happy sequencing David!
Todd
Quote:Does it sound flat to you? You’re telling me the flat is actually 1/2 step up to sharp (G#)? That’s incredible!So…on left key of E to F while on right 1/2 step up from Cmaj7 to G# at the same time or offbeat? What is tempo of left vs right?
Hey David, saw you were online…Yes, it does “sound” like it is 1/2 step flat (or down).
I have a thought. I assume you’ve figured out the left hand basic E repeated pattern or sequence of eighth notes, right? E, 8va E, E D# C# B D# C# E F# G# A G# E C# B A E
All this before it modulates (or “goes flat”, as you put it).
Are you with me this far?
Todd
circus on the moon question
David Day wrote:What about the two hand independence on Circus on the Moon? Does Bruce go flat in the middle of the score? Does he go flat with the left hand, right hand or both?Hi David,
I have read your many fantastic questions regarding two-handed independence. Bruce demonstrates this so well, PLUS adding his own voice into the sequence is truly more like 3-part independence (ie., adding an independent 3rd “instrument” to the right and left hand thematic elements). That is ever so much more difficult than what Chick Corea or Keith Jarrett do (although they are awesome pianists, yet minus any vocals…melodic, that is.)
So, Bruce does more of a 3-way split, if you will. Even more difficult, but with great success.
I also noticed several of your questions went unanswered. Regarding “Circus”, Bruce builds a strong solo theme in E major, as you can probably tell. Where you may think he is going “flat” is the most fascinating part of his solo. Rather than shifting down to E flat, Bruce takes that particular bar into the key of F major and back to E by the next bar.
Suggestion: try playing the E maj theme, then after 4 repeats, play C-A-F-E on each beat, descending in the bass line. Come right back to the E major theme and repeat. Next, try adding E octaves in the right hand on every beat. Finally, when you’re really good at it (or “sick of it” as some have said) start playing different right hand notes that make up the C major 7 scale when playing over the left hand descending CAFE. But always quickly come back to E major right hand elements on the downbeats of following measures.
The reason it seems to slip “flat” is in the right hand, where Bruce seems to improv on the Cmaj7 scale over a F chord bass line, the 5th of the C scale is the note G. He uses the G to lead back to the G# (the strong 3rd of the E major chord/scale). In actuality, the change is a 1/2 step higher than E.
It is not easy, but it is a great example of what Bruce does so very well. Two handed independence, in the wonderful signature hallmark of Bruce Hornsby!
Hope this helps and doesn’t confuse the daylights out of you!
Happy practicing,
Todd
