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Topic: Outside of the box (office) |
john widgren
From:
Wilton CT
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Posted 8 Feb 2008 10:09 am |
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Dear Forumites,
If you like your steel a little on the quirky side, , here is a link to the trailer for a theatrical production called "The Blue Flower". A project that I find to be a lot of fun and very interesting and different. It ain't Patsy Cline. (which I've done and love also.)
http://www.theblueflower.org/WBBF/_video/BF.mov
If you are in NYC it's a real entertainment bargain,(20 bucks for two acts), and frankly a project that I am proud to be associated with. The steel is orchestrated into an ensemble featuring bassoon, cello, accordion, piano, guitar and full rhythm section.
For more info on the play or if the link does not work, just go through www.prospecttheater.org.
Thanks for your support. JW |
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Pete Finney
From:
Nashville Tn.
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Posted 8 Feb 2008 10:54 am
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That's very cool! The steel sounds great and fits perfectly in the arrangement. Are all the steel parts completely notated (some of them must be from the sounds of it) or is some of it just sketched in with room for your input? In any case your playing sounds fantastic...
And who wrote the music? Was it the Andrew Levine that's listed as music director, or...? And what else have they done?
I'm hoping to make it to NYC in the early spring, I hope it's still running so I can come see it...
thanks, John |
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john widgren
From:
Wilton CT
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Posted 8 Feb 2008 11:52 am
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Dear Pete,
Thanks for your input.
The video is from a performance four years ago in which Andrew Levine was the musical director. Andrew is the producer of the current production, and the MD is the great Mark Rubenstein from San Antonio. Mark and Andrew are among the finest musical directors I have ever worked with. Mark is an awesome talent on several instruments. He teaches jazz improvisation and recording arts at UTSA. I really like and respect these guys. I have the same feelings for the entire troupe. For details and a who's who see: www.prospecttheater.org. Fine folks all.
The parts are very specific. There is a little (very little) wiggle room for interpretation in a few, but not the ones on the video. The composer Jim Bauer really knows what he wants from the steel, and was receptive to my (and others) input, but has a clear musical vision. The orchestrations are quite deliberate, and the steel parts must be consistently the same. In the video, my playing and intonation are not as accurate and authoritative as they are in the current production. This is mainly because I am now familiar enough and rehearsed enough to no longer have my head buried in the book. The focus now is on dymanics, blend, sensitivity, tone, and intonation, with consistancy. Much easier to do when not reading and feeling the sweat pour off. The show will unfortunately only run till march 2, but of course we are all hoping for another run.
Thanks again for your interest Pete, and by all means contact me when you get up this way. Best wishes JW |
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Dan Tyack
From:
Olympia, WA USA
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Posted 8 Feb 2008 12:59 pm
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| Nice playing, John. Killer tone, phrasing and dynamics. |
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Chris Bauer
From:
Nashville, TN USA
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Posted 8 Feb 2008 1:31 pm
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| GREAT, John. Thanks for posting this! (Anything else I'd say or ask has already been said or asked...) |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 8 Feb 2008 1:37 pm
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Wow! Great work, John, and I love the music!
Interesting theatre, too. Thanks for posting.
RR
PS: What guitar is that? |
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Bob Blair
From:
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Posted 8 Feb 2008 5:04 pm
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| That was great John - cool gig! I haven't heard you play much since my youngest outgrew "Blue's Clues"...... |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Jerry Gleason
From:
Eugene, Oregon, USA
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Posted 8 Feb 2008 10:24 pm
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I sure wish I could see this production. The music is wonderful. I think I saw this video a while back. I remember being very impressed by it. The steel entry on the second part (Things will never be the same?) gave me chills. I don't think I've ever heard pedal steel guitar so skillfully integrated into music of this genre.
Really nice work, John. |
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Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
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Posted 9 Feb 2008 12:49 am
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John, after viewing that, although theatrical isn't something I usually take to, I must say this: It sure was a Masterful piece of work, and your steel playing was not just good, it was some masterful work of art as well. I'm sitting here 03:28 in the wee early morning hours, but had to let you know what a Super piece of work you did. The entire piece of work changed my view on theatrical. At least for now it has. No words to really express how it all flowed. Magnificent Absolutely!
Glad I took a listen now. My hats off to the entire crew. A great production.
PS: Simply goes to show that steel fits into each and every catagory of events when properly played.
Don |
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john widgren
From:
Wilton CT
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Posted 9 Feb 2008 9:44 am
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I an humbled and gratified by the kind responses from all of you. Thanks a million. Your support and input is much appreciated.
To answer a few questions: The Steel in the video is probably an Emmons. (I think it was before I got my Hybrid).
In the current production, physical space, weight, ease and speed of set up and tear down are factors, so I'm using my E9 only Derby through a modified Acoustic Image focus 1R, into a Marrs (rest his soul) lightweight cab with a Peavey 1501 Neo. Its a lightweight, powerful but small rig, that sounds great. |
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