Piano Meditations Podcast

Episode 64, 3-13-19

I seemed to tend towards "romantic" sounds tonight; it could just as accurately be described as schmaltz, sappy, sentimental, etc, but I think I'll stick with "romantic". At a few points I was imagining the melody being sung by an operatic tenor, so, there you go. Enjoy.

Episode 63, 3-6-19

Interesting note to self; whenever we have newcomers I seem to go towards more bombastic playing. Not necessarily all louder or faster, but more insistent and driving. Maybe I don't want to put them to sleep. In any case, most of the music tonight felt very "traditional"; just going with chord changes and harmonies that supported simple melodies. Enjoy.

Episode 62, 2-26-19

Most of the evening was devoted to standards. I'm teaching piano and music theory to someone who has been coming fairly regularly to Piano Meditations, and she was saying she planned to make requests, so I pre-empted her by playing the few standards I actually know! I finished with a few free improvs. Enjoy!

Episode 61, 2-13-19

I'm finding a kind of sound and way of playing that is yielding new territory but is still comfortable to play; namely, giving my left hand less to do so I have more mental space to explore with the right hand. It's amazing how just a simple repeated note in the left hand can be enough of a foundation to give the melody plenty of support. 

Episode 60, 2-6-19

Quiet night tonight with two new guests. I felt like I was playing it safe, staying in comfortable zones, playing phrases and chord progressions I've done before. And yet, even so, whenever I feel this way, it's always just "new enough" that I didn't feel like I was plagiarizing myself, which is a good thing. The one "cocktail piano" style piece I did really didn't feel like it went anywhere, but you be the judge. Enjoy.

Episode 59, 1-30-19

Update: yesterdays' post of this episode only included 18 minutes; here is the full evening.
It's funny; after a two week hiatus because the house was being painted, it felt like I was going to have no clue how to dive in and improvise. But there is something about having an audience that changes the whole equation; knowing people are listening changes my own listening, and once again music appears out of nowhere. 

Episode 58, 1-9-19

Had a new visitor tonight; this is starting to happen more frequently!
I am editing out conversation and applause so the podcast is just the music. Also, tonight I tried a cool idea; i took an app on my iPad and mirrored it to Apple TV which sent sound through our stereo speakers, and then played a cello sample on the iPad while using the other hand to play piano. Fun! Then I gave the iPad to a friend in the audience and we did a duet. On other pieces I tried playing in 5/8 and 7/8. That's always challenging for me to stick with the meter and not shift it to something more "regular". 

Episode 57, 12-19-18

Nice crowd again tonight! We're going with a "hold applause till the end" format, so the recording includes whatever time is between the pieces. Tonight's music tended towards one particular feel; I didn't try to mix it up for variety's sake. 

Episode 56, 12-12-18

Episode 55, 12-5-18

Episode 54, 11-28-18

Big audience tonight! We had new guests and others that had said they would come someday, and voilá! The piano is still purring with new tuning and voicing; really went for the impressionist sonorities tonight, as well as a crazy waltz. Enjoy.

Episode 53, 11-21-18

Starting the second year of Piano Meditations with the Steinway just tuned and voiced by master tuner and pianist Victor LaGamma. On some pieces I just felt like listening to the sound of chords ringing in perfect tune! We had a new guest which is always fun. The first piece is a rendition of Simple Gifts in honor of Thanksgiving. Enjoy!

Episode 52, 11-14-18

Okay, tonight marks a full year of episodes! I started in August 2017, but with vacation and other stuff it took more than a year to get to this point. My phone was on low power and didn't make it through the night recording to Facebook, but you podcasters get the whole thing. Enjoy!

Episode 51, 10-24-18

I wanted to focus on "groove" tonight; to try and get into the rhythmic pulse of the music and follow it from there. It felt a little strange not "developing" a theme, and just improvising over a couple of chords or a steady beat, but it also felt free, which I guess is the point! 

Episode 50, 10-17-18

50th episode! We had some new folks tonight. It's an interesting process just allowing the music to unfold the way it wants to without worrying whether I'm keeping listeners engaged. At some point it could become too self-indulgent, I guess, but so far people seem to stay with it. The last piece was very slow, then went into an atonal contrapuntal frenzy before returning to slow, simple chords. While it was happening I began to wonder if it was maybe becoming a little boring, but after it was over the consensus was that it still held their attention. 

Episode 49, 10-10-18

Interesting evening; felt very distracted with everything else going on in life and I didn't feel particularly inspired with what I was improvising. So, I mixed it up and went with some very different approaches, and ultimately was able to get into a flow with the music. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes a struggle, but that's what makes it interesting for me, and hopefully anyone listening!

Episode 48, 9-26-18

Tonight I was exploring certain tonalities I'm drawn to anyway, so I figured why not go deeper into my own favorite sonorities and see what happens. We finished right before a massive thunderstarm hit. Ah well, could have been a dramatic accompaniment!

Episode 47, 9-19-18

iPhone audio only this time; set up all the mics and software and didn't turn it on. Whaddyagonnado...
It's actually not that bad, just not CD quality. Best to hear with good speakers...

Episode 46, 9-12-18

Steamy, muggy night, music emerged accordingly. Lots of minor keys and open spaces. Enjoy.

Episode 45, 8-29-18

Core group tonight; having a good time exploring tension and release with the musical phrases. It seems to help with a sense of structure and anticipation. One piece was in a more jazz standard style; it's actually harder to do a free improv using standard chord progressions, because there's a conflict between playing what the ear expects and trying to avoid generic predictability. Let me know what you think! Please feel free to share.

Episode 44, 8-22-18

Big group tonight! A few new folks and lots of dedicated regulars. Because of the heat, we keep the windows open, so I was hearing the evening crickets and gentle rain and, except for a couple of pieces, went with the impulse to stay quite mellow. 

Episode 43, 7-18-18

I figured out how to download FB video and extract the audio again, after they changed the format. This episode is recorded prior to the last, but it didn't seem worth the effort to keep them in order. Again, the audio is only from the iphone, as I've been having difficulties with the digital audio setup.

Episode 42, 8-15-18

So this is the last week I'm using the digital audio recorder. Everything was looking fine but when I was done, I had no recording. From now on I'm pulling out the studio mics from the other room and recording straight to Final Cut Pro. In the meanwhile, please do your best to enjoy this iphone-quality recording via FB Live. 

Episode 41, 6-20-18

So frustrated at myself; I forgot again to turn on the high-quality digital audio recorder, so once again the sound tonight comes from my phone. Still, the evening felt great and the audience was very appreciative, and there's always more music to come! Can't be too attached to an improv, after all...

Episode 40, 6-13-18

Tonight felt a little more like work; on a couple pieces I was pushing myself to break out of familiar patterns so of course it didn't feel comfortable. I kept going, but I'm curious to listen back myself and see how it came out. The audience seemed fine with it! Also, the high-quality digital audio file came up 'damaged', so we're stuck with the audio from my phone again.
 
 

Episode 39, 6-5-18

Tonight's music went from very traditional tonality to a piece that was in major and minor at the same time, switching between hands. On another piece I fell into some fast alternating notes which began to have a Spanish flavor, so I dug into it. Enjoy!

Episode 38, 5-30-18

Went for several styles tonight, kind of all over the map. Had new guests, new-ish guests and friends who've been coming almost every week since I started! It was hot so we kept the windows open; sometimes it was an enhancement with the birds chirping, other times a different vibe as children played, yelled or took the garbage out. It's all sound, and it's all part of the music!
 

Episode 37, 5-23-18

Had some new listeners tonight! What I had hoped for when I began this project is finally happening; there are enough people who know about it and have shared with friends that we're getting some new faces regularly! Nothing like having an audience come to you! I'm grateful for everyone who comes; it makes me play better and helps me really get into the music, knowing people are actively listening. 

Episode 36, 5-16-18

Small but appreciative audience tonight. Really leaning into "instant composing" and following the thread of a melody. Went into some Halloween territory tonight; enjoy!
 

Episode 35, 5-10-18

The rain was looming as the evening began, and became an element (wink wink) in the music. The pieces tended to be shorter tonight, so there's more of them. Enjoy!

Episode 34, 5-2-18

After a long day of work, physical therapy for my shoulder (which is basically back to normal, hooray) and a quick meal of leftovers, I wasn't feeling particularly inspired or imagining I'd be doing anything very "good" tonight. But friends came, we poured some wine, suddenly it was time to make music, and it happened! I'm getting better at keeping my mouth shut about those feelings. They aren't useful or valid anyway.

Episode 33, 4-25-18

*Sigh*
I forgot to turn on the digital audio recorder again tonight, so what you're hearing is the audio straight from my phone as I recorded to FB Live. Hope it's not to low-def. Enjoy!

Episode 32, 4-18-18

Big audience tonight! My wife Sharon is part of a conference nearby and invited people for dinner and a concert. It was great to meet some new people, and a bunch are already subscribed to this podcast. Enjoy!

Episode 31, 4-10-18

Once again it was a small but appreciative audience (of one), but I feel very lucky to have an audience of any size show up at my door!
Feeling "contrapuntal" tonight, mostly focused on different melody lines sliding around each other and seeing how they could fit together. Enjoy!

Episode 30, 4-4-18

Had a good sized group tonight! My friend and pianist Ruth Spencer came up from NY. We worked together teaching music and movement to little kids many years ago. Happy to have her ears tonight!
 

Episode 29, 3-27-18

Sometimes I'm playing and I feel that it's just not 'clicking', but I've learned to just keep going and follow the music as much as possible anyway. That happened with a couple of the pieces tonight, but I know it's part of the process; I'm getting better at not judging it and letting it be. See if you can tell which ones I'm referring to!

Episode 28, 3-21-18

Had some new friends come tonight! it's an open invitation if you live nearby; just check with me if you've never come. It's always every Wednesday, except when it isn't! Next week it will be on Tuesday, March 27th, then we'll be back to the usual Wednesday schedule.

Episode 27, 3-7-18

Tonight's music was inspired by the big snowstorm; I was shoveling till moments before beginning to play, and our neighbor April was my one stalwart audience member! The first piece was inspired by the snow; then it went in different directions. 

Episode 26, 2-28-2018

Felt like just moving my fingers more, or faster, or differently, or something. I was in a little unfamiliar territory, but I guess that makes it exciting! Enjoy.

Episode 25, 2-21-18

We had a big group tonight! I edited out some of the conversation between pieces. Enjoy!

Episode 24, 2-13-18

Tonight's music was geared towards Valentine's Day; just went with a few themes and put an intention on the most wonderful feeling; Love! Interesting to try and not fall immediately into "sappy", but then again, why not? Hmm, it's easier to play music about it than write about it, at least for me. Enjoy!
Some quotes or songs; Cinema Paradiso, As Long As He Needs Me, Bewitched, My Funny Valentine, Thomas Pond (quoting my own piece I wrote for Sharon when we first met).

Episode 23, 2-7-18

Once again I forgot to turn on the high quality digital recorder, so all I have is the audio from my phone. My mother-in-law requested some Dixieland music, so I began with a couple old-timey sounding things, then segued into some gentle ruminations, followed by some pretty far-out stuff. Not that I felt so avant-garde, but I kind of needed to almost sound bad on purpose so I could get into something that felt new for me. Enjoy!
 

Episode 22, 1-31-18

I had in mind some of my friends from dance camp tonight, so the direction was towards more movement. Enjoy!

Episode 21, 1-24-18

Still enjoying the fresh tuning; it's just a treat to play notes on this beautiful instrument and listen to them vibrate together. Except for one up-tempo-groove-oriented piece, the music tonight leaned towards gentler, introspective moods. Enjoy.
 

Episode 20, 1-17-18

The Steinway was just tuned by master tuner Victor LaGamma. I knew it had been out but didn't realize by how much until I played it after his tuning. So tonight I found myself focusing on the pitch and tonality of the harmonies, and at one point did a "cocktail pianist goes crazy" kind of thing. Enjoy!

Episode 19, 1-14-18

This is my kind of a Sunday afternoon; relaxing with friends and playing music. Meggan Berley and chef/cookbook author Peter Berley  came up for the weekend and Peter and I went through a few tunes. The first piece was a free improv and the rest were standards and a scottish reel. Enjoy!

Episode 18, 1-10-18

I had the great pleasure of making music tonight with my friend Jennie Fong, flutist. We kept to the "no plan" approach and explored several different tonalities and feelings. I edited out the dialogue in between pieces, so you may hear the applause stop abruptly. Enjoy!
 

Episode 17, 1-3-18

We had a completely different evening for this week's episode! We hosted the Vera Quartet, a wonderful string ensemble that began at Indiana University and is poised for success. They shared more music with the audience, but it was not recorded due to copyright by the composer. It was an amazing experience to be so close to the musicians and be able to catch the tiniest nuances in the music. A big Thank You to the musicians! Please learn more about them at www.veraquartet.com. Look them up on Facebook and follow their progress!

Episode 16, 12-19-17

Had some new guests tonight; I felt the impulse to give them something satisfying, and as a consequence it felt like I was covering familiar territory so it didn't feel quite as spontaneous. I didn't make the mistake of stopping midway through a piece however, and tried to stay with what seemed to be happening with the music. 

Episode 15, 12-12-17

Went a little "out there" tonight, had fun. Enjoy!

Episode 14, 12-6-17

Tonight's music went to familiar and unfamiliar places; I fell into a rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow and played a Blues, but in other pieces there were some harmonies I found tonight that were surprising. I enjoy exploring melodic lines that are spread between the hands and each have their own direction; you never know what sounds will happen. In another piece I took the shape of Bach's Prelude #1 and made new harmonies. Enjoy.

Episode 13, 11-29-2017

Tonight's episode begins with the sound of rain, says my friend Phil. Another piece is a free frolic over just a few chords, and another is a chorale that goes every which direction. There's a sort of Samuel Barber sounding piece, and I ended with a minor key honky-tonk thing reminiscent of "Turn Back, Oh Man" from Godspell. Enjoy!

Episode 12, 11-25-2017

Glad to be back to Wednesday night Piano Meditations! I took a break for three weeks to act in a show, "The Secret Garden" at Bedford Community Theater. 
I used my phone to stream tonight's music live on Facebook, but forgot to record the piano using my high-quality digital recorder, so I had to download the video from Facebook, extract the audio and upload to the podcast, so tonight's episode may not sound quite as good. In any case, here it is!
 

Episode 11, 10-25-17

Tonight was a wide mix of modal ruminations, frenetic chromatic turbulence and introspective ballads. Feel free to fast-forward if a particular piece is not what you're in the mood for! All I can say is, it comes with the territory!

Episode 10, 10-18-17

Went out on a limb a bit tonight with the first piece; I wanted to try a more contempory sonata-type structure, and then contrast it with two more movements. I was challenged technically in trying to reach for what I was hearing, but it was definitely fun to go for it! The rest of the evening was "wildly melodic" as our friend Lee put it. Enjoy.

Episode 9, 10-11-17

The humidity is making several of the piano keys "lazy". so tonight I was more focused on watery, dreamy sounds. It's fun to get going with a certain feel, then just literally go with the flow. The last piece is cut short because the batteries ran out on the digital audio recorder! Most of it came through.

Episode 8, 10-4-17

I had heard some groovin' Keith Jarett earlier today and had to start with a nod to my hero. Tried some atonal dancey stuff and definitely went for the shmaltz at one point. Enjoy.

Episode 7, 9-21-17

It's nice to be playing at home again on the Steinway Model B. Tonight we had hints of Debussy, Pachelbel, a touch of Spain and maybe Dr. John! Enjoy.

Episode 6, 9-13-17

This episode was recorded in CA at the community center on September 13th, where we had the memorial service for my father two days later. You can hear the pedal squeaking a bit, but I think it still came out very nicely. It was impossible to upload it to the podcast until we came home. You just can't move 45 minutes of audio through the free wifi at Super 8...

Episode 5, 9-6-17

Tonight's music is dedicated to the memory of my dad who just passed away. The music had some intended feelings and/or memories, but also unconcious connections or associations. 

Episode 4, 8-30-17

Tonight the energy was a little more subdued and tended toward the romantic; longer melodic lines and more traditional harmonies. Enjoy!

Piano Meditations - Episode 3 - 8-23-17

Thank you for listening. This week I was exploring the dynamic between structure and spontaneity, with the intention to be more towards the spontaneous and not worry about coming back to a theme or feeling the need to provide contrasting sections, etc. 

Piano Meditations - Episode 2, 8-16-17

Piano Meditations - Episode 1, 8-9-2017