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Topic: Lost George Barnes Bach Session now on CD |
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 18 Mar 2011 7:27 am |
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George Barnes' daughter Alexandra has worked tirelessly to restore and re-issue this new CD documenting her dad's small group arrangement and performance of the Bach G Minor Fugue. Barnes led this Jazz Renaissance Quintet in the NY in the early 1960s. The masters were discovered in Phil Ramone's studio in LA and the original charts and photos were in Alexandra's mom's storage files. Barnes had an amazing career in blues, jazz, country & early rock & roll.He was a masterful arranger as well as a composer and player. Little known fact: he also played trumpet & piano in addition to anything with plucked strings.
http://theartofsoundgallery.com/site/gallery/bach-fugue-in-gm/
There's an in-depth interview with Alexandra about the project in the February 2011 edition of Just Jazz Guitar.
Last edited by Andy Volk on 19 Mar 2011 1:15 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 18 Mar 2011 7:55 am
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I really like George Barnes and I recommend his Complete Standard transcriptions, if you're looking for some interesting small group recordings along these lines, and if you can find it! That said, I will probably buy this new CD.
Is there any doubt that JS Bach is the greatest musician who ever lived?
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 18 Mar 2011 8:12 am
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Bach is certainly one of the greatest documented musicians in the western cannon. Who knows who was never documented and thus lost to history?
It took me a long time to get to this viewpoint but I've come to understand that as great as Bach is, he's not necessarily "better" than the Chinese guy I saw at Sidney Harbor playing his guts out on a homemade, one-string violin. They both expressed their souls with the tools they had at hand.
That said, I immediately bought the CD and am really looking forward to hearing it. I have the GB Octet material and as good as it is, I tend to turn it off rather quickly. Bach is just a much stronger platform to support the ideas GB had than the nursery rhymes and pop tunes he did with the octet. I talked with Alexandra and she is putting together a massive multi-platform project on her father's life and music.
Last edited by Andy Volk on 21 Mar 2011 3:25 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 19 Mar 2011 1:13 pm
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| Fabulous post, Andy, thanx! |
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George Rout
From:
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 19 Mar 2011 1:31 pm
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Hello Andy and thank you for postiing this very interesting subject. I wonder if you have any further information on the project, i.e., would it cover everything Barnes ever produced, in pop music, country, jazz, etc.?
Also, what would the approximate project completion date be?
Thanks again.
George
_________________
http://georgerout.com
"I play in the A Major tuning. It's fun to learn and so easy to play. It's as old as the hills....like me" |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 20 Mar 2011 3:10 am
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Here's a little more infor from Alexandra ...
THE GEORGE BARNES LEGACY COLLECTION is just that: a comprehensive collection of his recorded music, compositions & arrangements (some of which have yet to be performed or recorded), professional and personal stories, photographs, film and video (incredibly rare)...tracking the history of dad's influence on american popular music -- from 30's blues to 40's swing to 50's & 60's rock and country -- and jazz throughout -- until his death in 1977.
The timing is right: not only is there fresh interest in dad's work (you'd be surprised -- or not -- at how many young guitarists are crazy for GB), but i get to leverage emerging and evolving technology via social media, digital video, and integrated marketing strategies. i'm creating this not as a static entity filed away in some dusty library, but as an interactive transmedia property, telling the story over multiple platforms.
The project is now in the funding stage so no idea when it may reach fruition. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 24 Mar 2011 3:35 am
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Further info .... http://davewalkermusic.com/page1/Bach_Gm_Fugue_Barnes.html
Just got the CD is it's really good. I've always loved getting a chance to hear the studio chatter behind a recording and the outtakes are as illuminate the creative process even more than the final edited recording. It's very interesting to hear Barnes hit his notes dead-on without any of his trademark vibrato or other slurs or inflections. |
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