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Topic: Western Swing with Symphony Orchestra! |
Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 30 Apr 2001 2:47 pm |
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This Sunday, May 6, my western swing band, Beats Walkin' ( www.beatswalkin.com ) will be performing with the Philadelphia Classical Symphony in downtown Philly! This should be a lot of fun!
Here's what's in store. Starting at noon (at the Gershman "Y" at the corner of Broad and Pine Streets right smack dab in center city, Philly), we'll play 3 short 20-minute sets on our own, till about 1:30pm. Then at 2pm the main concert begins. We'll be introduced at that point (it's about time!) and will launch into an instrumental version of "Rollin in My Sweet Baby's Arms" but without orchestra. THEN, the full 40-piece orchestra will join us for a rousing rendition of "Miles & Miles of Texas". (Can't ya just hear it already??) The guy who wrote the orchestral parts is a sax player from Texas (now living and teaching here) and very accomplished arranger... and he understands western swing, so this is gonna be a WHOLE LOTTA FUN! Can't wait!
Wish me luck and c'mon down if you're in the area. It's a sight you may not see again for a very long time!
Jimbeaux
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www.jimcohen.com |
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Smiley Roberts
From:
Hendersonville,Tn. 37075
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Posted 30 Apr 2001 5:04 pm
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I am TOTALLY jealous,& wishin' that I was in your place!! Best o' luck!
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~ ~
©¿© ars longa,
mm vita brevis
-=sr€=-
[This message was edited by Smiley Roberts on 30 April 2001 at 06:05 PM.] |
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Jason Odd
From:
Stawell, Victoria, Australia
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Posted 30 Apr 2001 5:07 pm
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| I'm jealous totally wishing I could witness this event,so cool! |
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clive swindell
From:
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK
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Posted 1 May 2001 1:41 am
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Jim
Are you going to record it so we can all hear it? |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 1 May 2001 5:22 am
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| Yes, it will be professinally recorded, by the guy who records the Philadelphia Orchestra. |
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Chuck S. Lettes
From:
Denver, Colorado
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Posted 1 May 2001 5:22 am
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Hey Jim,
The show sounds like a dream gig. What a great opportunity for you and your band. May the spirit of Bob Wills guide your performance.
Chuck |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 4 May 2001 9:36 am
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WOW!! We just had the rehearsal with the orchestra, and all I can say is "Wow"! This is SO MUCH FUN! What a great feeling to be kickin' butt on Miles & Miles of Texas with a dang 40-piece orchestra swingin' right along with ya, hitting all the kicks and punches, just the way I'd always imagined it would be. Their trumpet player is even taking a 16-bar improv solo in the middle (and, yes, he sure can!)
If anyone is close enough to Philly to want to make it down for this "event", I can probably get you comp tickets; just let me know asap. This is a family show so bring the kids along (the other music is also great, including "William Tell Overture", some Copeland, etc. A very fun time. We start at noon Sunday and the BIG FUN starts at 2pm. Ah-haaaaaaah!
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www.beatswalkin.com[This message was edited by Jim Cohen on 04 May 2001 at 10:39 AM.] |
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Gene Jones
From:
Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)
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Posted 4 May 2001 1:28 pm
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| Jim I'm leaving soon for the regular Friday night performance of the "Take Me Back To Tulsa" production at the Preservation Playhouse Theater in the Guthrie Historical District, and I'll be thinking of you. We have a "killer" 20 year old girl clarinet player in the band...plays exactly like Pete Fountain and doubles on sax. (Isn't it fun to find that rare opportunity to do that music again?) Ah Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!! www.genejones.com |
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Bob Stone
From:
Gainesville, FL, USA
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Posted 4 May 2001 3:31 pm
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Congratulations Jim! Sounds like a whole lot of fun.
All the best,
Bob |
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Janice Brooks
From:
Pleasant Gap Pa
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Posted 5 May 2001 6:58 am
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Sorry I'm not coming down. I do need to get down there at some point to look at or see about Carter Starters.
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Janice "Busgal" Brooks
ICQ 44729047
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Bob Taillefer
From:
Canada
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Posted 5 May 2001 10:57 am
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| Sounds like a great gig! Keep us posted! Can't wait to hear it! Regards Bob |
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Gary Walker
From:
Morro Bay, CA
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Posted 5 May 2001 11:15 pm
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| Jim, I wonder how these classical players feel about stepping up in class with Maestro Cohen? They may never want to go back to Bach again, too bad you don't have a '76 P/P to give them "that sound", Gary |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 6 May 2001 6:04 pm
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YOWZA! It warmed the very cockles of my heart just to be able to take photographs of a steel guitar set up in front of the orchestra today! All-RIGHT!
What a BIG time that was! I tell ya, I could get used to this. Imagine a 40-piece orchestra backin' up a steel guitar on the chorus riffs of "Miles and Miles of Texas". I almost fell over from pure pleasure. And afterwards, the conductor thanked me and told me that all the orchestra members took their association with Beats Walkin' very seriously, which is apparently not always the case that they show any respect for the "pops" group in the show. Indeed, one of the members of the orchestra leads a brass ensemble that just won a Grammy Award for a recording they recently did with Peter Schickele (PDQ Bach) and he wants to book us for another show already! So I feel pretty good about all that.
So... here's the plan. I'm getting both a video and a CD-R audio of the show and I'll be putting together a package to send to other local and regional symphonies, many of which are looking for interesting opportunities for "pops concerts", cuz that's what brings in the audiences these days. The guy from Texas who did the arrangement wants to work more with us too so if we land another orchestra gig, he'll arrange a few more pieces for us (next on our hit list: "House of Blue Lights"!)
Thanks for all your interest and support, guys and gals!
Jimbeaux
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www.jimcohen.com |
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Bob Knight
From:
Bowling Green KY
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Posted 6 May 2001 6:17 pm
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CONGRATS Big Jim!!
Regards,
Bob
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Bill Hamner
From:
Hueytown,AL USA
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Posted 6 May 2001 9:17 pm
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Hi Jim, Congratulations! You guys must be on Cloud 9--- no, make that 999. I caught your set at the Choo-Choo reunion show, TERRIFIC!
Shared an elevator ride with you down to the lobby one nite and at that particular moment
I guess I was not to much of a conversationalist.My apologies, I had just received some disturbing news from home and I supposeI was not too much for conversation at the time.
Bill
[This message was edited by Bill Hamner on 06 May 2001 at 10:20 PM.] |
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