Guy Tuneh Elgar video debate in comments

We’ve had 90 comments so far about the recent video of Guy Tuneh playing excerpts from the Elgar Cello Concerto. This has certainly been one of the most heated discussions we’ve had on the blog during its four years of existence. I am a big fan of Mr....

Bass-heavy nights with The Gentlemen of NUCO on 1/16-17/09

Here’s a cool event happening at Northwestern University (just around the corner from me). Peter Lloyd student and Civic Orchestra of Chicago bassist Josh Fink just sent me the following information. Josh informs me that there will be several cool bass solos:...

Snow, snow, snow

I’m getting sick and tired of the punishing winter weather of Illinois–not a rare thing for me in mid-January. Why on Earth would I want to live here? I have no idea. My wife is applying all over the country for medical school. She’s applying to a...

Bill Harrison on great jazz solos

What makes a jazz solo great? Can it be quantified by fundamental musical building blocks (rhythm, contour, note choices, phrasing, etc.), or is it some magical and indescribable combination of characteristics. How can we teach students how to create a truly great...