Ok, so I know it’s reality TV approaching a level of absurdity hard to imagine, but check out Clash of the Choirs on NBC tonight and/or tomorrow night. The director of the vocal jazz group I played keys and piano for in college is the “behind the scenes” director/arranger of Nick Lachey’s Cincinnati choir. At some point, I bet they do the arrangement of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” that was the big closer/encore that we did every show when I was in the group.
December 20, 2007
Thursday at 8:25 am
I only got to watch a couple of choirs last night and from what I saw/heard I would have given credit to Nick’s choir. There was more actual harmony in their arrangement than in the others. Of courrse, I didn’t see the whole show as other things were going on at my house. My problem is that as a choir director myself, I’m always listening for blend, tonality, pitch and all that other good stuff. These choirs seem to be trying to out embellish each other in a ‘gospel shout’ sort of way. I know that “The Clash Of the St. Olaf and Concordia Choirs” is just not going to make network TV. It’s all very fun, though.
December 20, 2007
Thursday at 8:35 am
Geez, Melody, you’re almost making me want to watch it. If I didn’t have a strict moratorium on reality TV in my home I probably would. I like shouty choirs every so often.
Your penultimate sentence made me spray carrot bits.
December 20, 2007
Thursday at 10:00 am
Just out of curiosity, why are you eating carrot bits at this hour of the morning? I know they are good for you and all, but…
December 20, 2007
Thursday at 10:19 am
Breakfast of champeens, little lady, them carrots.
I forgot my yogurt.
December 20, 2007
Thursday at 12:17 pm
Nick’s choir did a Swingle Singers arrangement of “Flight of the Bumblebee” last night that was a staple in my college group. Fortunately, this is a group of pretty accomplished singers, and they did it VERY well. No “gospel choir” sound for that tune. But, yeah, a lot of it is that vibe.
December 20, 2007
Thursday at 2:28 pm
I missed the bumblebee number and swingle singers would be right up my alley. I’ll try to watch the whole shebang tonite. Maybe I’ll even vote (or is it too late for that?)
December 20, 2007
Thursday at 10:20 pm
Hey! How about that! My boy pulled it off! They won!
December 21, 2007
Friday at 2:21 am
Sweet!
December 21, 2007
Friday at 7:22 am
I didn’t get to vote! I didn’t even get to watch. Oh, well, I still know how to pick a winner.
December 21, 2007
Friday at 7:52 am
Melody, reading your last comment just elicited the first belly laugh of my day. I like your sense of humor!
December 21, 2007
Friday at 9:00 am
If you only managed to whet your reality TV appetite, the finale of the Last… er I mean Next Great American Band Friday night features three bands from Nashville. Denver of Denver & the Mile High Orchestra is buddy of mine from church who I have subbed for several times over the past few years. I even did a christmas tour with him a couple years ago. Everything I know about Halo, I owe to Adam Beck, one of his trumpet players.
No telling how they’ll do (they already lasted longer than I thought!) but tune in to watch him trade barbs with the dude from the Goo Goo Dolls.
December 22, 2007
Saturday at 9:17 pm
Melody, it is so random for me that you would mention St. Olaf. I saw this on PBS last year and watched it a few times on Tivo as I bustled around the house getting ready for Christmas. Sometimes the music would stop me in my tracks. It wasn’t on this year so I am ordering it. I have no connection to anyone at St. Olaf (which for me is the random part). I really don’t know anything about them, except that they are wonderfully musical.
December 22, 2007
Saturday at 9:18 pm
This = http://www.stolafrecords.com/music/prodView.asp?idProduct=74
Link didn’t work. Grrrr.
December 23, 2007
Sunday at 10:29 am
Sharolyn, they were on my PBS station this year and what I loved most was that as they sang, their faces reflected their joy. That beats Concordia in my book, despite that fact Concordia had better sets and staging. I haven’t seen St. Olaf in person, but I took several of my chamber choir kids to hear Concordia last year. We enjoyed the music, but they looked like statues. - They say Donny and Marie might be coming back, how cool is that?