Category: Café

We simply don’t know where the subways are.

Just last weekend, I went down into the 125th street A/B/C/D station to catch the first express train that arrived with my destination being W. 4th Street. When the D pulled up, I got on board and sat down promptly. The next thing I knew, the A train made a stop on the local track. No announcements were made, so I just assumed it was running local. 10 minutes passed and the D train failed to move. The only news my fellow passengers and I received was an inaudible voice over the PA-system saying “We are being held in the station by the train dispatcher.” Another five minutes later, we were prompted to get off the train as there was a track fire ahead. With no further updates, an annoyed – and probably late – girl approached one of the help stations and pressed the button. The MTA worker on the other end of the checkpoint had no idea there was a track fire.

My friend always says that there needs to be an app that specifically shows where every train is. He doesn’t understand how it is 2015 and this isn’t possible yet. Well, here’s why (click the picture for the full article)

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Source: The Atlantic

Jimi Hendrix’s Music

Since it wasn’t loud enough in class, I’ll post a few of his songs here

Discography

Are You Experienced (1967)

Axis as Bold as Love (1967)

Electric Ladyland (1968)

Famous songs include All along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan cover), Purple Haze, Voodoo Chile, Hey Joe, Red House, Foxy Lady

Here is My favorite musically and my favorite Politically

Star Spangled Banner (Live 1969 @ Woodstock)

I really cant stress enough how awesome the sounds he made yet how bold this was. I can screaming and bombing and crashing in it. But the other distrubing thing, to me, was that  after the noises he made with “Rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air”, he played taps, a funerary song and then He played the later section much more distorted than he played the first section. As if to say something was lost(?) What do you guys think?

 

Little Wing (idk what the vid is but its the only version thats free online)

Released on “Axis as Bold as Love”

https://vimeo.com/125588239

Jazz at Lincoln Center

Last night I had the special pleasure of seeing one of my favorite trumpet players (Wynton Marsalis) and one of my favorite piano players (Brad Meldau) covering the genius work of Thelonious Monk. Monk’s work was characterized by huge intervals, complex syncopation, and resolutions in bizarre places and the band represented all that perfectly. Monk was also genius at playing chords that were not technically complicated but fit with the melodies in a complex way.

I was honestly a bit skeptical that a big band was performing small, 4 or 5 piece jazz music but the execution was perfect and they used the extra horns to write their own counter melodies and harmonies.

For the most part they sounded organic and fed off one another during improvisation, but my one complaint is that sometimes the performance felt “too polished” or too intricately composed and a bit less free flowing than I would have liked. I guess thats what happens when there are 20 on the stage instead of 5. It didn’t have that “raw” feel to it. Of course, I am sure they chose to be polished and I am just disagreeing with their choice

What was really crazy though, is that they brought in a child progidee pianist Joey Alexander (who is 12!!!!) from Bali to perform two songs with them. And, if I was listening to a CD and I heard his playing, I would guess he would be a veteran of 40 or 50 years. It was funny to see hi mask for the stool to be raised about 3 times before playing and then completely blowing me away.

For those of you who don’t listen to Jazz, I would suggest listening to some songs from the program, these are some of the definitive classics. Monk’s style of harmony is widely imitated by artists after him.

My favourite where Criss Cross, Ugly Beauty, and Brilliant Corners, but I enjoyed every piece

Jazz at Lincoln Center

Interesting Areas in Harlem

I often times walk around in Harlem to explore the area and I have found the area East of St. Nicholas Ave is much more lively than the area near CCNY. Two places in particular I enjoy are Adam Clayton Powell Square (Adam Clayton (7th) and 125th) and Paris Blue (Adam Clayton and 121).
In the square I have found once to twice a week there are usually out door African drum performances, and I am sure they will taper down as it gets colder.
At Paris Blue there are free live jazz/blues shows starting from 830-9pm nightly.

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Beethoven

Hey class!

So, not sure about the rest of you, but I always find it really helpful to study with classical music.  I really love classical music, and actually play piano for the Macaulay Chamber Society.  Currently we are working on Beethoven’s Piano Trio in B-Minor.  Ever since we’ve started playing it, I haven’t been able to get it out of my head! It’s a beautiful piece with three very different movements.  I thought I’d share it with all of you- so enjoy!