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Saturday, January 30, 2016

Eberhard Weber at his Best

Eberhard Weber, a few months before his stroke, was performing the music that appears in this video, which also features Enrico Rava and Reto Weber. Eberhard Weber reveals himself as the master of his instrument, playing it in such a way that no one before him had done. It's unfortunate that this trio, to my knowledge, never entered the studio to record their music.


Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Let It Snow: A Christmas Video

One of my favorite videos features Adam Baldych and Mika Urbaniak, daughter of Michal Urbaniak and Urszula Dudziak. Urszula Dudziak actually appears in the background of a few shots.  This video features the present generation of jazz musicians in Poland, both of whom are descendents, literally and figuratively, of that period of time in which Michal Urbaniak and Urszula Dudziak created jazz that not only revealed their cultural roots in Poland but also that desire to break free from history.




This video captures the Christmas spirit for me; it was something that I played on Christmas morning this past year.

Although I try to enjoy all of the seasons, I am not terribly fond of snow. It used to be exciting getting pictures of the snow creating patterns on the tree trunks when I was in my teens. I am happy now watching it from my window without having to get out into it. Not having to experience the weather is one of the benefits of teaching online from home. I would not have relished digging out from, say, twenty-eight inches of snow if I were living on the East Coast last weekend during winter storm Jonas.