From the monthly archives:

November 2009

Rocked Out Christmas Jam

November 29, 2009

Now that Thanksgiving is over, the countdown to Christmas is well under way.  Viola found the following that someone posted in the Mike Portnoy forum a couple weeks ago, and we were waiting for the right time to share it with folks. Viola and I have been slacking a bit and enjoying the long holiday [...]

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We Wish You A Happy Thanksgiving

November 26, 2009

I am thankful for many things.  Most important, my life partner, Viola, is everything to me.  This past year has been complicated for a number of reasons, but no matter what we have had each other to lean on.  There is nothing like family, and I realize that more and more each year.  I am [...]

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Enjoy the Thanksgiving Rap

November 25, 2009

It’s that time of year when families join together to enjoy a delicious meal and drive each other a little bit crazy. If you need a laugh, check out the video at the bottom of this post.
On a serious note, since this is a time to express thanks, I would like to express my gratitude [...]

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An Eigenharp Alpha – It’s What I Want For Christmas

November 24, 2009

With Black Friday just a few days away, luckily the new toy I want won’t be found in Toy R’ Us.   What I want is an Eigenharp Alpha.  I know… what the hell is it?
According to Eigenlabs website, the the Eigenharp Alpha is:
A professional level instrument which allows the musician to play and improvise using [...]

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Classical Music For Metalheads

November 23, 2009

Whether you‘re a diehard classical music fan who’s trying to get your favorite metalhead to branch out a bit, or a metalhead who’s just looking for something new, check out this list. Contrapuntist and I are both classically trained musicians and metal fans.  We thought this would be a good way to share our two [...]

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Dream Theater Keyboardist Jordan Rudess and His Daughter Kayla Create a Song to Raise Money for a Wonderful Cause

November 20, 2009

Jordan Rudess, keyboardist for progressive metal band Dream Theater, has joined forces with his daughter Kayla in writing a song to raise money for the Central Asia Institute:
Proceeds go to the non-profit Central Asia Institute, to promote and support community-based education, especially for girls, in remote regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Greg Mortenson, co-author of the [...]

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Grooveshark and Lala: Two Music Sites To Know About

November 19, 2009

In the online world of digital music, there are ton of different players competing for your ears.  It often feels likes an ever-expanding world with more sites entering the fray.  In case you missed the news, Imeem was purchased by MySpace.  This comes a couple of weeks after the former social networking giant decided to [...]

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“You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught To Hate” – An Exploration of Racism in the Musicals Finian’s Rainbow, Showboat, South Pacific, and The King and I

November 18, 2009

At the end of October, I heard a fascinating segment on NPR about the revival of the musical Finian’s Rainbow. The revival has been 60 years in coming, and a big part of the reason why is because of what many consider to be an outdated view of racism. This got me thinking about the [...]

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Slayer & Megadeth Team Up For “American Carnage” with Special Guest Testament

November 17, 2009

The last time I saw these two powerhouse acts together was in the spring of 1991 during the “Clash of the Titans” tour, which included Anthrax as triple co-headliner and a very young Alice in Chains as the opening act.  Eighteen years later, this still ranks as one of the most memorably intense concerts I’ve [...]

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“This Is It” Shows Michael Jackson’s Mastery of Musical Timing

November 16, 2009

Like many of Michael Jackson’s fans around the world, I was saddened by his sudden passing.  I wrote about his death on that tragic day.  Since then, I have deliberately kept from writing about Jackson after his death because the last thing I wanted to do was to add to the ridiculous amount of “news” [...]

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