Randallopry

Wendy Carlos’ version of the Bach C Minor Prelude from...

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:58:33 -0500

Wendy Carlos’ version of the Bach C Minor Prelude from Switched on Bach (1968)

Glenn Gould Plays Bach C minor Prelude BWV 847

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:49:30 -0500

Glenn Gould Plays Bach C minor Prelude BWV 847

Billy and Ray. Check them moves out

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:08:08 -0500

Billy and Ray. Check them moves out

Billy Preston and Nat King Cole

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:05:47 -0500

Billy Preston and Nat King Cole

Feeling bad about your image? Wish your clothes were as neatly...

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:07:01 -0500

Feeling bad about your image? Wish your clothes were as neatly pressed as mine? Check out these shocking before and after images from a recent band photo shoot I participated in. Thanks to Bryan McLucas and his adept use of the digital iron, I have been photoshopped into perfection. For more wrinkle free pictures, check out http://thehighballs.com/

New Years Day at the river in Athens, Ga

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:49:02 -0500

New Years Day at the river in Athens, Ga

Video

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:17:06 -0500

KC Commander (cello) and I just recorded and impromptu Christmas...

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:44:40 -0500

KC Commander (cello) and I just recorded and impromptu Christmas Album with all your favorite hits. Tannenbaum, Nutcracker, Home Alone (Main Title), and more. Go download it for Free!

House Concert from Yesterday with Carl Lindberg and Philip...

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:22:05 -0500

House Concert from Yesterday with Carl Lindberg and Philip Mayer! Enjoy the free download!

Two really great pieces on the late Paul Motian: One from...

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:50:00 -0500

Two really great pieces on the late Paul Motian: One from pianist Ethan Iverson and the other from photographer John Rogers. I already knew a lot of his jazz biography, but had no idea he also played Woodstock with Arlo Guthrie! Incredible. In 2009 I had the privilege of seeing Paul play with Bill Frisell and Ron Carter at the Blue Note. I was sitting close to the stage on the side where Ron Carter towered over the two like the giant that he is. Bill seemed to be having a ton of fun, smiling and laughing as the three played songs from their trio record as well as a few I had never heard them do before. Paul played really interesting ideas with incredible conviction and artistry. Fortunately I still have the recording I made that night to relive what it was like to see such giants. Here is the last song of the night “What is this thing called love?”. This whole track is amazing. Check out Paul’s solo at the end. Wow!

I really dig the covers on this riverside jazz master composers...

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 19:37:31 -0500

I really dig the covers on this riverside jazz master composers series

Video

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 23:55:41 -0500

Fred Hersch!

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:38:36 -0400

Fred Hersch: Just Hear What Happens Next from NewMusicBox on Vimeo.

Absolutely LOVE this interview with Fred Hersch. His music philosophy is great, as is his playing. More of the transcript over here including this quotation, which is basically how my one time lesson with him went:

I hear a pianist for the first time in a lesson situation, and I immediately go for the physical. They might not be aware that they’re tapping their foot, or that they’re off balance, or that they’re leaning back, or that they’re pushing so hard that they’re slamming down on the bottom of the key bed and making a crappy sound. So what I try to do is create for them a piano embouchure, if you will, that allows the pianist and the piano to be friendly with each other and connected.

Wes Montgomery- Three Jobs!

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:12:22 -0400

From an interview with Jimmy Cobb:

DeRiso: Later, you, Chambers and Kelly backed Wes Montgomery. Perhaps the high point was the live albumSmokin’ at the Half Note. Were you surprised when Wes later took a turn into more pop-influenced styles?

Cobb: He did that because he was talked into it, probably by (producer) Creed Taylor, who told him: ‘You could make some bigger money. You could be more public, playing all of those tunes.’ He didn’t like it. He was doing it because he needed the money. He had about 9 kids, so he figured he had to go for it. While he was still home, he had three gigs! He worked all day and all night — never got any sleep. It made his heart bad. One was construction; I think he worked on a jack hammer. The second one was as a guard for a milk company. And then the third was playing music! That took its toll on his energy and his life.

http://bit.ly/pTd3vv

Here’s a new song “Look Both Ways” that we...

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 21:23:00 -0400

Here’s a new song “Look Both Ways” that we performed at the house concert last weekend. It went really well, thanks to all who came. Chris Enghauser is on bass and Carlton Owens is playing drums. Check out the rest of the concert on Bandcamp. You can download it all for free!

Here’s a short video I found from when I saw the opera...

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:30:46 -0400

Here’s a short video I found from when I saw the opera Pagliacci in Verona in 2006. In the summer, the city hosts operas in the Roman Arena built in AD 30. The acoustics are amazing in the arena and it’s really a unique experience to see something like this. I have another video from the intermezzo of La Cavalleria Rusticana that I’ll post at some point.

My favorite brand of pianos. HAHAHA.

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 21:07:00 -0400

My favorite brand of pianos. HAHAHA.

Hey Rand, When are you playing in Athens next? --Michelle

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:44:56 -0400

I play every friday at Highwire from 8-11, so we’ll be there tomorrow. See you there! http://www.highwirelounge.com/

Earl “Fatha” Hines describes the evolution of his...

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:00:40 -0400

Earl “Fatha” Hines describes the evolution of his piano technique.

Two ads I came across while browsing the old papers. There were...

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 22:19:28 -0400

Two ads I came across while browsing the old papers. There were tons of ads for pianos in the 20s, different times.