Videos

This week’s Francisco Friday selection is ¡Marieta! (titled in one instance as Tristeza).

You can hear in this Mazurka, as well as many of Tarrega’s other pieces, the influence of the Romantic pianist Frédéric Chopin. In fact, Tarrega transcribed some of Chopin’s works for the guitar. Enjoy!

Francisco Tarrega
Spanish guitarist of the Romantic Era, he is the godfather of the classical guitar. Visually impaired, yet prolific, precocious, and free-spirited, he left a legacy of beautiful, iconic music.

Hi all, today’s video is another from time on the farm in Washington State. This one features music by the olde English composer and lute player John Dowland’s while on a break from sorting vegetables. Thanks again to Eddie Raskin and lots of love to those in England dealing with the pandemic.

Wishing you all health and safety!

Ever wonder what it would sound like if Bach started writing a fugue, and then the psychoactive drugs he took kicked in after a few measures? It might sound a little something like this…

Stay tuned for the 3rd movement next week!

Listen to the the 1st movement here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_UKmh49Dcc

Wishing you health and safety

This was pulled out of the vault from when I met John Allan studying Biology at the University of Toronto. It was a tremendous honour and a pleasure to make music with him!

Music at night can be a magically unique experience, and sometimes a little spooky. Today’s new video is the second instalment from my series of west coast videos from time spent in rural Washington state with Eddie Raskin.

Wishing you all health and safety

This week’s selection for Francisco Friday is the Pavane.

The Pavane is a dance form from the Renaissance era in 2 or 4 beats. Tarrega’s Pavane is yet another tender and delicious bite of Romantic-era guitar music. Enjoy!

Francisco Tarrega
Spanish guitarist of the Romantic Era, he is the godfather of the classical guitar. Visually impaired, yet prolific, precocious, and free-spirited, he left a legacy of beautiful, iconic music.

Hey all, today’s new video features a real Spanish classic by the composer Joaquin Rodrigo. In these times, I’m sure we are all with the people of Spain that are going through a very difficult time dealing with the pandemic.

This was recorded when I was travelling Washington State with Eddie Raskin and we spent some time working on a farm. The piece is titled En Los Trigales, or In the Wheat Fields… So it is a fitting venue.

Wishing you health and safety!

In case you haven’t seen this one before, today’s video is from a series I put together thanks to footage taken by Eddie Raskin on a trip in Washington state a few years back. Thanks to FACTOR for supporting the post-production.

Wishing you all health and safety

Back when we played at The Emmet Ray! The footage was so rough and dark when I found it in the ‘vault’. Thankfully I was able to clean up the video and audio enough to bring you an accessible clip where you can even see our conga man Brian way in the back by the wall.

This is “Alonzo” – our version based on vibes player Cal Tjader, but written by Lonnie Hewitt.

Jon McMurray on Cajon
Brian Edwards on Congas
Colin Nimblett on Cabasa
Ken McDonald on Bass
(Erez on Guitar)

Wishing you health and safety

Sometimes classical guitar just sounds too ‘pretty’. Life isn’t always peaches and cream and it feels good to hear some new sounds on the guitar. Roberto Sierra composed the 4-movement Sonata para Guitarra. Here is the first movement – a piece in a traditional ‘Sonata Form’ but the harmonies and rhythms are far from ‘traditional’ – or I should say they are part of the new tradition of the 2nd Viennese school perhaps (look it up)

Wishing you health and safety

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