Yesterday, our studio enjoyed a creative and inspiring workshop presented by Brian Wolff. Formerly of Drums and Tuba fame, and currently touring with Buckethead, Brian took time out of his busy schedule to share his music and thoughts with students. From my notes, here are a few things he said that I really liked:
“Your instrument is just a means of expressing yourself”
“I’ve travelled around the world playing weird electronic tuba music”
“Audiences are more open-minded [to experimental music] than the music industry gives them credit for”
“This is my third tour with him (Buckethead), and I still haven’t met the guy”
“Carve out your niche”
Brian also mentioned some of his influences and information about his inspiration and equipment. Here are a few related links:
Spaceheads – The band he heard in Lafayette, LA that inspired him to do what he does
The two New Orleans style brass bands he mentioned were Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Rebirth Brass Band
Barcus-Berri – The manufacturer of microphones and pickups for orchestral and band instruments
ELO – Electric Light Orchestra
Fugazi – The punk band from Washington D.C. who do business and music on their own terms (Their Dischord Records Site)
Ian McKaye – Member of Fugazi and owner of Dischord Records
Marcus Rojas – The New York tuba performer and teacher Brian mentioned. Marcus is my hero; plays everything from orchestral and chamber music, to commercial and free improvisation.
The Ramones – One of the greatest bands ever and pioneers of the punk movement.
The Picador – I don’t know much about this Iowa City club, but if they are open-minded enough to book Buckethead and Wolff, I’ll keep an eye on their schedule
Buckethead – The eccentric and mysterious guitar player
Categories: Studio · Tuba Stuff
Tagged: Barcus-Berri, Brian Wolff, Buckethead, Electric Tuba, Fugazi, Marcus Rojas, Picador, Ramones, Spaceheads, Workshop
My friend and colleague, Jeffrey Agrell, has started keeping his own blog called Horn Insights. In addition to being a wonderful teacher and player, he is a very talented writer, as many horn players know from his years of contributing to the Horn Call journal. Although his theme is horn-centered, a lot of what he discusses and uncovers can be very helpful to all musicians. One of his posts, “Quotations for Musicians” is simply a list of great tidbits of advice from people like Arnold Jacobs, Martin Luther, and Wynton Marsalis. Here’s an excerpt:
•The arts, inspiring — indeed requiring — self-discipline, may be more “basic” to our national survival than traditional credit courses. Presently we are spending 29 times more on science than on the arts and the result so far is worldwide intellectual embarrassment. -Paul Harvey
•I always loved music; whoso has skill in this art is of good temperament, fitted for all things. We must teach music in schools; a schoolmaster ought to have skill in music; or I would not regard him. -Martin Luther
•When taking a shower, take a shower. When playing horn, play horn. -Zen Saying
•Mastery comes from practice; practice comes from playful, compulsive experimentation. – Stephen Nachmanovitch
•Sitting under a tree is good for your playing too. -Arnold Jacobs
•What is best in music is not to be found in the notes. –Gustav Mahler
•Fine horn playing is the result of a vast complex of physical motions and nerve reactions… [practice] is a process of eliminating those physical movements which do not produce the desired result, eventually reducing it to the one set of movements that does produce that result. – Gunther Schuller
Categories: Studio
Tagged: Horn, Insights, Jeffrey Agrell
