7.26.2007

Bloggity bloggity blog

It's been too long.
So here's an update.

First things first: Herbie Hancock and Dave Brubeck. Wow - both of these shows were absolutely amazing (please forgive my alliteration) - yet completely different. Kenny Garrett (an alto sax player) opened up for Hancock, and had the house rocking for an hour and a half (we were at the Burton Cummings). After Garrett, Herbie's band came on. Some of the highlights: Watermelon Man mixed in with a tune called "Seventeens", which was in 17/4 time, Maiden Voyage played as a piano-only ballad, Cantaloupe Island, some of the songs that Herbie co-wrote with John Mayer, and the encore, Chameleon, where Garrett came out to join Herbie's band (which was a quartet - piano, guitar, bass, and drums). This show was high-energy, featuring pure amazingness from all involved, and Herbie occasionally played a keytar. Best. Show. Ever.
I went to see Dave Brubeck a few days later...amazing, but in a completely different way. Bassist/vocalist Esperanza Spalding opened, and this time with a shorter set (30 minutes-ish). Wow - what a voice, and amazing bass chops as well. I think that she's probably only 25 or so, which is even more amazing. So, after Spalding, Dave Brubeck walks on stage. In contrast to Herbie Hancock, Brubeck doesn't say much. He sits down at the piano, and launches straight into "On The Sunny Side Of The Street", and lets his fingers do the talking. Apparently Brubeck turns 87 this year, and his other players looked equally decrepit, but they did not show their age in their playing. Brubeck whipped his way through a set that was mostly straight-ahead jazz, in contrast to Hancock's funk-filled extravaganza. Brubeck capped the night off with his trademark piece, "Take Five", and then played "Blue Rondo ala Turk" for the encore.
The best way to describe these shows: Herbie Hancock was a huge party with all your friends, with music pumping, and everyone dancing like mad. Dave Brubeck was an intelligent conversation with an old friend.

In other news, I moved out of my parents' house July 1st, into the basement of a house with Aaron. It's awesome, although if you have spare food, please send it our way.
I spent July 6-13 serving at Providence Arts Camp. I taught a class on Music and Worship, directed a small girls choir, and helped with the worship music. Good times were had by all - I'm planning on coming back to teach again next year.

In other other news, I finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows last Saturday morning at approximately 4:52 a.m. The verdict: this is the best book yet. And, holy crap, what a way to end the series! I will write about it later, but I don't want to post spoilers. If you read this, bug Aaron about finishing Half-Blood Prince, and then Deathly Hallows, because he owns it but is procrastinating reading it!

And...school starts in a month or so. And I'm very, very excited. Excited.

For those who complain about me never updating my blog...happy now?