Unit Asia

2008年，记得是在关丹的一个Resort 为不记得是Honda 还是Toyota 推展礼做演奏的时候，吃晚餐时收到一通电话。我还记得当时的天气不太好，风很强，海浪拼命冲着海岸，电话另外一头的声音也很模糊，而且还是奇怪口音的英语。
隐约了解的是，对方要求我将我有的录音呈交给对方，参加一个什么选拔之类的。一直以来对选拔比赛什么的都兴趣缺缺，其实性格上比较怕输，加上对自己的能力什么的都有疑惑，觉得参加什么比赛都好像没有赢过。当时的感想是：不理他吧。当晚的演奏工作还好，天气有点阴晴不定，后来还听说承接这个工作的负责人被汽车公司方面的日本人修理了，因为没有准备应急天气问题的方式。听了这个消息的感觉是，啊，日本人还很凶啊！

回到吉隆坡后，其实也节外生枝的发生了些事，不过一个小小的动作好像将我引上了另一条不同的路：我在意那通电话。

对方是日本文化交流基金会的岛田先生，他是说，他们现在在筹办一个乐队，在东南亚五个国家中寻找一位Saxophonist 和一位钢琴家，参与一个由日本音乐家和东南亚音乐家组成的乐队。他从某人那里得到我的电话，知道我是从事爵士音乐的工作，所以邀请我参与这个选拔。需要的是我的履历表和音乐，在某月某日前送到他们的办事处就可以。反正我演奏的录音我都有，在一天下午我就准备了一张CD和我的履历表，参与了。

真的，对这事从来没有盼望，没有希冀，没有期待回音。完全没有。
可是几个月后的一天，乖乖口音的英语又从电话那一头传过来。
我被选中了，从五个国家20多个钢琴家。

真是奇怪。
人生因此从此不同，就像歌儿有的唱。

谢谢Unit Asia，我们在吉隆坡国油演奏厅演出。我们在新加坡国家音乐厅演出。我们为汶莱苏丹演出（虽然并非那么好玩，还要经过审核，他妈的）。我们到了清迈演出，让我见识了放飞灯笼的美丽（而我们几个加起来好几百岁的人，遥望着美好的夜空中几颗孤单的灯笼好美丽）。我们到了菲律宾演奏让我见识了马尼拉湾的日落。更不敢相信，我们回到日本演奏。确实，后来的四年我们一共到日本演奏了六次：让我观察日本人的有礼，日本的经济窘境，日本环境传统与科技的美好结合，甚至让我有了日本家人。我们巡回了东京，横滨，高松，京都，名古屋，神户，福冈，大分。我们也到了埃及，看了金字塔。我们到了土耳其，看了阿纳托里亚博物馆，看了美丽的小小山城。我们到了印度新德里和车奈。明年甚至会到欧洲的Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Cologne。

人生因此而不同。
看到的是日本工作人员的工作态度，音乐家的努力，以及不管国籍不管种族，作为人类其实都分享着作为人类的甜酸苦辣。

我确信着，我必须在机会来到之前，做好自我的充实，当机会来到才好捉着机会。
不过我确实是幸运的。

好多录影其实都在Youtube 上面流传：

2011年在曼谷的泰国爵士音乐节：

Song For Unit Asia

New Blues: 

KL Live House: 

The Art of the Wind Up Alarm Clock: 

Sea Outside Window: 

越南河内演奏厅：

Galinha do Caril: 

Hot Curry Summer Dish

Prelude Au Voyage 

胡志明市演奏厅：

Walking Around the "K"

马尼拉Sky Dome: 

All Season: 

Adventure of the Sankichi

土耳其，安卡拉：

Mr Saxman

Prelude Au Voyage: 

Funky Love: 

埃及开罗： 

Hot Curry Summer Dish: 

Galinha do Caril (埃及音乐家参与）：

Art of the Wind Up Alarm Clock 

Song of Unit Asia:

踏出新的一步 Stepping Out

决定了要生小孩，就开始了生育计划。其实生育可能是整个过程中最容易的一部分吧，教育小孩的责任才是人生中最最大的责任吧。
恐惧感是有的，世界的快速转动，我是否跟得上。怎样教育小孩，让他做个有责任感的世界市民才是重要。如何在精神和物质之间找到平衡点，如何找到他的快乐。这些都好像不是可以教的，而我自己的生活态度也都是一步一步摸索出来的，我又怎样去奢望我可以教他呢？

不过可以肯定的是，会尽我所能让他体会音乐，艺术，文学的美；希望他能够在这些里面体会到我所享受的某种安定，某中满足。

悠久的智慧是最重要的人生财富。
欢迎你，郑智悠。

The Sea Outside My Window 窗外一片海

窗外一片海 The Sea Outside My Window

这是我两年前作的一首曲子，本来是乐曲，后来朋友Koh Mr. Saxman 将它变成了泰语歌，后来周博华又添了中文词，是以有几个版本。

在写这首曲子的时候，其实听到的是有点像若置浩二的男嗓音，而且是唱着日语（虽然我当时对日语一窍不通。。。）甚至是听到了海的声音，所以很自然的就取了这个名字。

第一个版本（乐器版）马来西亚. Bentley Damansara Hall： 

Benjamin Lee on Saxophone, Vincent Ong on Bass, Adam Osmianski on Drums

第二个版本（乐器版）中国天津：

Julian Chan on Saxophone, Vincent Ong on Bass, Hong on Drums

第三个版本，Unit Asia 泰国爵士音乐节

Koh Mr. Saxman on Saxophone, Isao Miyoshi on Guitar, Ippon Shigeki on Bass, Hiyoruki Noritake on Drums

Koh Mr. Saxman 泰语版 The Song For Tomorrow: 

中文版，周博华填词：

另外送一个版本，我不认识的日本乐手佐藤千明演奏。值得一提的是，这个演奏场所我也曾经在那里演出过。是在日本九州的大分Oita，爵士Club 叫做Brick Block

日语版已经有了歌词，可是还没有人唱，还在找那把男声！

记得哪里读过一位作家说的，小说里面的人物有时候好像有自己的生命一样，连小说家自己都无法控制它们的命运。有时候觉得音乐似乎是这样哦，尤其是爵士乐中的即兴，有时候都不知道会去哪里。这首曲子倒也是蛮相似的命运，记得当时是一次过就写就的（不到三十分钟就完成），还觉得有点不好意思（因为想写的是比较Hard Core 的曲子）偏偏写出来的是这么Pop 的曲子。

不过看起来，很多朋友都喜欢这首曲子哦。。。。

所以生了小孩，他的命运就不是父母亲可以掌控的了。。。。

说到哪里去了呢！

影像天津行

2012年八月初又回到了天津，参加第一届的天津国际爵士音乐节。随同的朋友陈子涵拍摄了一连串的影片，剪辑成了以下四辑的影片。子涵敏感的眼睛看的到我有时候不注意的东西，非常有趣。

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

这次的音乐节，为期16天，一共邀请了8支乐队。我们的档次是在第二环节，一同抵达的有美国的Bobby Watson, 南非的Kyle Shephard Trio, 美国的 Sirius Quartet, 和 马来西亚的 WVC TRiO +1 + Winnie Ho. 

Compact Disk

Since 2005, my first recording project in the States, I have the opportunities to work with various musicians and singers to produce some recordings, in CD form. Albeit the fast dying (or is it dead yet?) media format, CD is still pretty much the passport, or name card to any budding artists, and musicians, and rich aunty trying to have their 15 minutes of fame (or now it is more like 3 seconds bloop).

I still remember when I first encountered CDs, when I was still in junior high school, I was offended by its price. In fact it was so expensive that, they have to be locked inside the glass protected cases, and to be taken out if you really really desired to buy it. This happened to be in a local shopping center that I frequented for my early dose of music, at the time it was the Four Heavenly Kings: 张学友Jacky Cheung，刘德华Andy Lau，黎明Leon Lai，and 郭富城Aaron Kwok. For a poor student like me, who can only buy cassettes with the money I saved from my meager pocket money by not eating any lunch, I could at least scored one and a half cassettes a month. Boy was I hungry!
I was disgusted to find that, in order to buy those CDs inside the glass case, I had to be famine for more than two months, in order to get one CD, and boy! The song selections are the same! What is so special about CDs anyway!!!!

But it proved me wrong, CD IS SPECIAL. How high tech it looked! the perfect round inside the round, the silvery color, the rainbow color that shows when you examine it under the light! Even to operate a CD player seems to be so high tech!!! I am talking about those CD players that, you push the button, the tray came out silently and with so much style!!! Damn it! I even stopped breathing while operating it. Slowly put the CD on top of the tray, carefully, not to touch the surface of the CD (reading the fine print on those booklets on how to take care of your CDs that it could last more than 50 years is a must), and push the button again, and the music starts to flow. It was such a nostalgic time.

CD and recording cost are so cheap now, anybody could make one without batting his eyelids (even me got to make not one, but some! Damn it!)
It is dying, thanks to the digitization of media, no sane person would buy CDs. Nowadays it is even unwise to download! I know some young people just stream the music, without wasting any storage space on their hard disk!

Still I cherish the moment I had my first CD (It was The Best of Yukie Nishimura.....) Even though I can't read the Japanese on the booklet, but I still touch it, look at it, smell it every day, until my mom reluctantly bought the first stereo system in my house, that came with a CD player (but top load model, not the slick silent tray model.... sigh)

Now I have taken part in quite a few album productions, that when I stopped and think about it, it is amazing. Isn't it? At least it is to me lah!

2005:
Wilson Tay Wilson- Confluence

2007: 

WVC TRiO - WVC TRiO 

2009: 

WVC TRiO +1 - ELEVEN

2009: 

Unit Asia - Debut! 

2010: 

JZ8

2010: 

WVC TRiO +1 - {In the Dark, I See Her} 

2010:

Unit Asia: Smile For You

2010: 

Zyan Brasileiro

2011: 

Winnie Ho - Decadent Sound of Teresa Teng

2012: 

Yudi & Cher Siang - Shades of Passion

先看自己

年少上学时念鲁迅，尤其关于他早年在仙台读医时遇到的事而令他愤然投入写文章的生命，当时的感觉虽然心有戚戚焉，可是总还是没有太大的感慨。
越来越对他的这种想法有所认同：


“有一回，我竟然在画面上突然会见我久违的许多中国人了，一个棒在中间，许多站在左右，一样是强壮的体格，而显出麻木的神情。据解说，绑着的是替俄国人做了军事上的侦探，正要被日军砍下头颅来示众，而围着的便是来赏鉴这示众壮举的人们。这一学年没有完毕，我已经到了东京，因为从那一回后，我便觉得医学并非一件紧要是，凡是愚弱的国民，即使体格如何健全，如何茁壮，也只能做毫无意义的示众的材料和看客，病死多少是不必以为不幸的。所以我们的第一要着，是在改变他们的精神，而擅于改变精神的是，我那时以为当然要推文艺，于是想提倡文艺运动了。”


“示众的材料和看客”之所以“毫无意义”，因为他们没有个性，缺少自我。在鲁迅的概念里，“庸众”有两个重要的特性，第一是麻木，无法感知别人的痛苦，不惜借着别人的牺牲来求得短暂的热闹和愉快。另外一个特性是骑墙看风头，拼命顺着潮流，攀附强势，生怕罗丹被欺负。【阿Q正传】 里的阿Q，照李欧梵的看法，正是一个没有内心自我的身体，一个概括的庸众形象。他的灵魂恰恰就是缺少灵魂，缺少自我意识。这种没有内心的庸众，把革命都看成潮流，结果在大的理想，在了不起的口号，只要遇到了庸众，就一并被庸俗化，永远迈不开步子走到哪里去。

杨照语，鲁迅的游移与寂寞，【对照记1963】Pg. 320

一直都在想，我们不是要改变世界，最主要的是充实自己，从而期望可以影响身边的人，进而广之。人要有理想，进而尽全力追求这理想，在努力的过程学习，看到自我的价值，有自信的增值，对尊严的肯定，进而领悟生命中的意义，自然会致力于世界的平衡，进而影响世界。

我一直都相信国人的素质的提升是高于一切政治改革的。国人素质低落而有了政治变异，得到的就只有混乱和渺茫。（并不代表我们就不改变政治，因为如此的政治，确实也是国人素质低落的罪魁祸首）
“自我提升”，虽然已经被直销公司骑劫多年而老生常谈，却还是我们看到希望的一个重点。


有素质的人，他不会乞讨小惠小利，他不会埋怨上天的不公平。他会默默耕耘，去创造，去以自己的能力来改善自己的条件；更有能力的会因此影响其他人。他不会遇到问题就逃离，而是运用智慧与环境周旋。


我希望成为这样的人。

Two Albums in 2012

The two albums that I was working on, in late 2011 and early 2012, published this year.

I am trying to embed the sample player here on my blog. Let's try.

This is the Jazzy Sound of Teresa Teng by Winnie Ho. It was such a fun record to do, and I got to implement what I believe in music, into this re-arrangement of Teresa Teng's classics. When we are doing covers of old classic, we don't try to sound like the classic. What is the point to imitate the classic, when they are already classic. Might as well just listen to the original right? But these classics are great vehicles for our creativity (some people might ask, why not write your own originals? Mind you, I have written my own originals. But revitalize classics are acts of creativity as well!)

Here, we try to bring out the meaning of the lyrics, musically. We try to infuse different music from different cultures. We love to play with atmosphere, with ambient, with feels. We had a lot of fun.

Another album that I was working on in late 2011, and early 2012, is Shades of Passion with our Malaysian chanteuse, Ms. Yudi. It was also fun. Just two of us, voice and piano, retelling the tales of yesteryear.
Initially it was only for our own enjoyment, but then grew to become an album.
The challenge was there, so bare a setting, not one tune, but 12 tunes (at the end, we discarded two of the tunes recorded) to make them interesting throughout. Yudi is at her best here, soulful and introspective.

Year 2012 seems to be the year of new territories for me. Am fortunately enough to be invited to arrange for a musical, and also write music for a movie. I have learned a lot musically from musicals. Ah! those days listening to a lot of Lloyd Webber, Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein, all on CDs. Later on watched some on VCDs!
As for films, it was the medium that I learned to listen to spoken English (which helped a lot when I took my TOEFL exam!). Loved the soundtracks of Schindler's List, Cinema Paradiso, Shine, Mr. Holland's Opus, Star Wars, Godfather etc.... Usually got to read about the films on film magazines, then listened to the music on CDs, then only get to watch the film on VCD, or later on DVDs (in that order)

On top of that, something really big is happening to my life now. Am grateful with my fortunate life so far.

我用我的语言来说你熟悉了的故事

音乐最大的魅力在于，同样的一个故事由不同的人来说，有完全不一样的味道。说起来这是理所当然的：毕竟每一个人的生活历练都不同，对事情的看法当然也都迴然相异。
不过基本上，古典音乐和爵士音乐有着不同的出发点。简单来说，聆听古典音乐是在听起来一样的音符世界里面寻找不同点；而爵士音乐则是在听起来完全不一样的音符世界里面找到一样的定点。

聆听古典音乐，大体上是从听起来相同的音乐当中寻找每个不同版本的异同。古典音乐家的演奏是不会任意加入乐谱以外的音符的，不然就会被抨击到体无完肤。在贝多芬以前的作曲家是会让演奏家在协奏曲(Concerto)当中炫耀自己的技艺，而将Cadenza 留给演奏家自由发挥。贝多芬憎恨这样的自由而将Cadenza 也写下来，禁止任何人即兴（不怪得他的脾气那么坏）。同样的，贝多芬之前的作曲家也大多会让演奏家自己决定音乐的表情，大小声，速度等都让音乐家们自己决定；之后的作曲家都将这些自由统统收回来。所以作曲家和演奏家这两个职业越来越分开，变成截然两回事了。是以演奏古典音乐作品是以忠实于作曲家的意愿为根本的。甚至极端一点的音乐考古学家会追溯和推测作曲家的作曲意念，希望能够发掘出已经消失人世几百年了的想法。古典音乐基本上就是得忠实于乐谱上写的音符来演奏，虽然这些音符可能在数百年前就已经用鹅毛笔在蜡烛的光芒中就写下了。当然乐谱记载的方式很大程度上只有重现作曲家大概的想法而已，许多的表情等等都没有办法忠实的记载下来。

那么演奏家自己的人格想法呢？就得在这些已经定格了的音符当中烙印入自己的思想了。

所以听古典音乐的演奏，我们听的是相同的音符，可是却由不同的人格发声。如果用演讲来打个比方，Martin Luther King 的著名演讲: I Have A Dream：

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.


当然由原讲者Martin Luther King 来说的话，气派澎湃，意境万千。
那么想像如果是由甘地来讲呢？可能就是温文尔雅的了。
如果曼德拉演讲这段子，可能就慢慢的，很有耐性的（当然是带有南非腔啦）
如果是小布什讲的话可能只会惹人暗笑吧（嘻嘻嘻）
而我国现有伟大的政客说出来，可能没有人会相信吧。

不同的演讲者在演讲这个稿的时候，他们并不会加入讲稿以外的句子。他们可能会说错一两个字，或者在不同的地方停顿，在语气上抑扬顿挫有所不同。不过最重要一环还是他们对这个讲稿的解读，以他们各自的知性来带出他们各自认为重要的部分，来把这个演讲稿的精神最好的带出来。这是古典音乐的特性：我们得在很多个听起来一样版本（因为演奏者都不可以偏离作曲家写下的音符）当中找出不同点。

因为刚刚听了内田光子Mitsuko Uchida 在Carnegie Hall 弹奏的Schubert 最后三部钢琴奏鸣曲，于是这里选出好几个不同版本的Schubert 的最后 Piano Sonata in Bb Major D960, 第一乐章来做比较：

俄国钢琴家Sviatoslav Richter 弹奏的，是那么的慢：

Arthur Rubinstein 的 版本：

Clifford Curzon 的版本：

Maurizio Pollini 的版本：

Horowitz 的版本：

说真的，如果初略听一下，不太能够分得出来到底差别很大在哪里。当然像Richter 的版本就和其他版本速度上差很多。不过对熟悉这曲目的人来说，欣赏古典音乐最享受之处就在从这些小小的异同处，寻找乐趣。每个版本都是各自的小宇宙啊！

有心人甚至剪辑了以下这个视频，将八个不同版本的Schubert D960 的第一旋律做比较： 八位钢琴家分别是： 

1 Alfred Brendel

2 Vladimir Horowitz
3 Clifford Curzon
4 Clara Haskill
5 Artur Schnabel
6 Andreas Staier (Hammerklavier)
7 Sviatoslav Richter
8 Maria Judina

说起来，虽然每一位钢琴家都在看着同样的一份乐谱（Schubert 在1839年写下，去世后十年才出版之后大体上都不改的墨迹），可是弹奏出来的却可以有着不同的呼吸，不同的印象，不同的速度，不同的小宇宙。音乐的世界追求的就是如此的个人世界观，不是吗？

那么爵士音乐则出发点非常不一样了：
同样一首曲子，由不同的音乐家来演绎的话，出来的音符一定是不一样的。这是爵士乐演奏的前提，如果你尽量每个音符都符合前人所演奏过的版本的话，这很难被称为爵士乐。

这里的例子是大家都非常熟悉的曲子，Somewhere Over the Rainbow，原版是从电影Wizard of Oz 里面，饰演Dorothy 的 Judy Garland 演唱的：

相比一下，以下几个版本，每一位演唱者都会以自己的世界观来演绎这首名曲，没有一位演唱者是以模仿Judy Garland 为荣的。

Jane Monheit: 她演唱的版本是加入了Refrain 部分的

Ray Charles：他的版本非常的Ray Charles，Soul 十足

Frank Sinatra: Swing 十足的Frank Sinatra

Eva Cassidy: 她的版本算是经典了。注意她的唱法简直就是将Somewhere Over the Rainbow 的旋律完全解体再重建，给予我们一个完全不同的彩虹。这是Somewhere Over the Rainbow 吗？是，不过这是Eva Cassidy 的彩虹。

Keith Jarrett: 三个不同的演奏版本： Tokyo, La Scala, 和 London。同一位演奏家，同一首曲子，不同的音乐世界。

Art Pepper:

浩荡的音乐世界，充彻着不同的观点，视角，哲学，审美观。可是似乎很重要的是，每一位有着自我尊敬心的音乐家都不会以完全模仿为荣；反而各自都在寻找自己的声音，自己的小宇宙。

当然在综艺节目上面以模仿不同艺人声线表情为业的表演艺术家，当然是另当别论的。可是如果世界是充彻这样的艺人的时候，这个世界是否出了问题？ 如果要听鹦鹉学舌，为什么不直接去听原版的呢？

音乐世界（甚至所有的表演艺术，广义衍生到所有人类的行为）的精彩在于每个人的看法不同，是以他们的艺术都有个人的风格存在。艺术当然是从模仿开始的，然后再从模仿当中创造，这就是艺术必须建立在传统之上。不过有的人将他们的看法精炼成为超越平庸，是以我们将这些超越的人捧上艺术家的宝座，崇拜他们。

不管是爵士音乐，古典音乐，还是摇滚，饶舌，蓝调；如果总是模仿的话，世界是不会如此多姿多彩的。创造吧！

泪的小雨

在之前说过的“泪的小雨”，这里做个比较：

邓丽君的版本：

何芸妮的版本：

爵士乐追求的永远都不是模仿，而是在已经杰出的音乐上面建构自己的看法，自己的主见，自己的世界。那新的版本是一定强过旧的版本吗？那又是见仁见智的了。我们并不主张新的一定好，这不是Darwinism生物学，这是艺术。不过还是强调的是，如果一定要模仿，那我倒不如去听原版的更好。

Jazz Cover of Beatles

I have to admit, covering Beatles tunes ain't never easy. Some of their tunes SHOULD sound like how they did it, period. Some of their songs are easier to be covered than others, usually they are lyrical and more conventional in terms of harmony, melody contour, and instrumentation. But Jazz musicians just wouldn't give up trying, and that's the spirit of jazz, ain't it? There is even a few Beatles jazz albums out there, most notably is a compilation done by GRP: The Beatles Tribute, An All Stars Celebration.

There are also quite a numbers of Beatles covers that I've enjoyed, some are pure magic, some are quite pleasant, some are passable.

And I Love Her (Diana Krall) From above mentioned album:

Stylish, Elegant, Lyrical. I've came to know this particular version many years ago, and still enjoy it tremendously. Midnight Jazz kind of feeling, smoky and sensuous.

Brad Mehldau has got to be the Messiah for Jazz Piano Trio, when he first came out in the late 90s. He attracted a lot of attention updating the repertoire of jazz by including many tunes that he heard while growing up, outside of the mainstream jazz repertory. He covered tunes by Beatles, Radiohead, Oasis, Verve, Nick Drake, Paul Simon, Sound Garden, Pink Floyd, Massive Attack, just to name a few. Maybe it didn't really started from him (Herbie Hancock did a whole album of 'New Standards' in 1996, covering Rock tunes. Definitely worth collecting) but from him onward we have seen the Piano Trio format came back to the forefront of mainstream Jazz scene. There are also a trend of covering unconventional tunes by many jazz bands.

Here are several versions of Brad Mehldau's treatment of Beatles tunes that I like a lot:

Blackbird (Brad Mehldau) From The Art of the Trio Vol I:

I love this particular song from Beatles's White album, always find it to be heart warming, and the unusual harmony color, even that little wing fluttering sound in the middle of the song could make my heart leap. Paul's voice is also so gentle and lovely. Love this one! Here is some interesting fact about the song. The harmony is inspired by Bach! Damn it, this whole musical legacy is just so damn interesting, proud to be a little part of this whole legacy! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackbird_(song))

Another tune from the White Album. This is my favorite albums from the Beatles legacy, which I have spent my teens listening to no less than a hundred times in the span of half year's time. At first, Martha My Dear just feel like a weird song, the way the melody goes and the harmony, seems to be at odd. The brass arrangement was really quite out for my ears at the time as well. But I came to embrace every songs in the album and appreciate every notes in there. When I first heard this version from Brad in 2007, it was another rude awakening as well. What the hell! What is going on here!!! But with my friend's insistence, I listened to it a few more times, Wow! The whole Left Hand Right Hand coordination, the contrapuntal playing, the unusual modulations, the discords and resolutions, damn! This is the shit!

You just got to give it to him, that he redefined Jazz piano, set another high goal for everyone after him to attain. He definitely change the sound of jazz, when most people at the time thoughts jazz is dead (Jazz had been announced dead too many times over the years. Some people claimed it is not dead, just smelled funny. But from a musician's perspective and from listening to what is available out there, Jazz can't be more alive and kicking, and Thriving!)

Martha My Dear (Brad Mehldau) From Day is Done. 

She's Leaving Home (Brad Mehldau) The Day is Done:

Another one from The Day is Done album. She's Leaving Home is from the legendary Sgt. Pepper and the Lonely Hearts Club Band, written by the Lennon and McCartney team.
A story telling song with great melody (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/She%27s_Leaving_Home)

Brad Mehldau's arrangement isn't far from the original, and sticks true to the traditional Head Solo Head format. Of course his signature left hand right hand conversation is apparent here, with much inner movement of harmony changes. There is a rhythm tacet section where he rips through an ostinasto then back to the head. Amazing shit.

Mother Nature's Son (Brad Mehldau)

This particular version of Mother Nature's Son by Mehldau is played solo in a concert in Argentina. I know of two other versions recorded in his album Largo and also a duet album with Joel Frahm.

There are no youtube uploads for these two versions, thus what I posted here is from the Argentina concert. Amazing as usual. Check out that reaction from the audience. Man, I just wish we could see something like that in KL. But with the gradually idiotic people up there, slim chance. Let's kick them out and get our country moving ahead instead of backwards.

Dear Prudence (Brad Mehldau) Largo:

From White Album again, psychedelic feel kind of song. ]

She's Leaving Home (McCoy Tyner): All Star Tribute

One of my favorite pianists, Mr. McCoy Tyner's version of She's Leaving Home is pleasant and straight forward, with his signature voicings and lines. (Worth check out another tribute album he did, all Burt Bacharach tunes for Impulse! Amazing stuff)

Something (Sarah Vaughan): Sarah Sings the Beatles

Brazilian groove of Something! Written by the great George Harrison (every time he writes, it came out great. But he didn't write that many when he was with Beatles)
Check out this version, the nice whistling counter line, and sexy Portuguese lyrics at the verse.

Can't Buy Me Love (Count Basie): Basie's Beatle Bag

The typical Basie's band explosion, swing you off your chair, the big contrasting sections. The organ a bit dated, but once in awhile, it sounded cool. Damn. Basie is cool.

With A Little Help From My Friend (Count Basie): Basie on the Beatles

A normal trio arrangement, nothing too fancy here. He is usually so under play, but here, he swing hard and played so much. The more I listen, the more it sounded like Oscar Peterson playing, anyone point it out?

The Long and Winding Road (George Benson): All Stars Tribute

Nice string arrangement here. Smooth and slick.

Norwegian Wood (Buddy Rich): Big Swing Face

There are actually so many more versions out there, but due to lack of youtube uploads, I feel reluctant to share the information here.
Oh by the way, The movie: Across the Universe has to be one of the best movies that was inspired by music of Beatles. Check it out. I love some of the re arrangements of songs in the movie.

Great Plays liked Movies

When one flies more than 24 hours and couldn't fall asleep in the economy class's less than spacious seats, one succumbs to pass the time with on board entertainment provided. Even though one's buttocks were in pain, with good movies, these less than glamorous irritations could easily be forgiven. Such was the case after I've seen this unexpectedly great movie. Of course the prerequisite is that, the flight you have decided to fly in provide such selections. (Read somewhere that a first class passenger in the infamous American Airlines was offered, to his great horror, latest selection of 90s movies on VHS tapes wheeled on a cart for his perusal. My friend can't stop laughing when hearing this.)

Those spanking new airlines from the Middle Eastern cities are the best when it came to offering top and newest offerings in movies selections, on their spanking new latest technology big screen touch pad crystal clear personal LCD screens (oil money is might). But you have to be tolerant of kissing scene suddenly jumped to "after action" smoking scene. There are always surprising selections, thus it is always a good time for me to catch up on movies that I longed to watch, or just didn't have the time to watch when I wasn't flying.

This trip to New York, I got to watch this otherwise missed masterpiece, Glengarry Glen Ross. If it wasn't for the glittering cast, I wouldn't even be curious enough to watch this one. By the title of the movie, one wouldn't half guess what it is about. But such a catch! It was essentially a play at first, adapted into a film, starring such glittering cast, one respect these cast's commitment to good script, good direction, and their enjoyment of what they do: acting. I read somewhere that they are not getting paid much for doing this movie, but man, aren't they enjoyed every moment of it, and immersed themselves in the accompaniment of their peers. This is like great jazz, it is not about one person stand out, but rather everybody play together with good interaction, mutual respects and everybody shine!

The cast consists of Al Pacino (his character only enters the scene after about a whole hour), Alec Baldwin (only appears for about 15 minutes, but wow), Ed Harris, Jack Lemmon (I only know his works in those Black & White movies, and JFK, isn't he good!) Kevin Spacey (maybe of the constraint of his character here, he is just like a bassist dutifully doing his job) Just by looking at such list one would be tempted to watch this movie, even if the movie sucks. But this is great one!

I always find it hard to immerse myself into lengthy, conversation and narration based movies on the plane, simply because such environment isn't prone to deep concentration to dialogues. I would rather watch some action flicks without having to listen to anything being said on the screen. But this particular movie had me absorbed throughout.

Rather than spoil the movie for you, I suggest you to watch it if you have the chance.

Which brought me to my fascination to Movies with Minimal set, or rather movies that are like Plays.
Here is one of my favorite, 12 Angry Men:

What a treat, such simple story line, only one location (maybe several, but most of the happening was in that jury's room) and 12 amazing actors, amazing script and dialogues. Damn! Just by thinking of it, I would want to watch this again. Must see if you are into movies.

Of course one wouldn't forget the powerhouse Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf:

Amazing Elizabeth Taylor before her name is equaled to that woman that married for 8 times and each time is proportionately more disastrous than the last time. This is of course a movie that is adapted from a play. Watching this, I would love to have seen the play somehow. This is also one of the three movies, that all the cast on screen were nominated for Oscar nominations.

For some reason, I love Lars Von Triers's stuff. Over the years, I would try to appreciate his output, some I genuinely like, some I would save for later time. But this particular movie (but positively Play, stripped down Play) is amazing. The message, the lesson is clear, but disturbing. The sequel to this movie, Manderlay is equally disturbing with another set of message.

Both movies are anti-movie to the extreme. There are no set, no props, no nothing. Only a stages with chalked lines outlining spaces. They are even more stripped down than a stage play!
Without spoiling the movies for you, I recommend these very much, and I am sure they would open up your world even more, maybe for better or for worse....

By the way, if you haven't find out about Lars von Triers yet, please find his stuff. They are powerful and fresh. Try:

Breaking the Wave
Dancer in the Dark
Antichrist
Melancholia

 My world isn't the same anymore after these movies, or after some of those mind blowing Japanese or Korean movies, or Akira Kurosawa, or Ozu Yasujiro, or Ang Lee, or Christopher Nolan, or Martin Scorcessee, or Sophia Coppola or........

Cherish Life with Wonderful Art.