Jason Lyon Music

Author: Jason

  • Jazz in London calling…

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    I’ve had word from the tireless, dedicated and frankly bloody wonderful Mary Greig, who compiles the indispensable free brochure Jazz in London. This year she’ll be doing a double edition covering both December and January – so if you want your gigs listed you’ll need to get details for both months to her by 10th November…

  • Newsflash: Musicians are People Too

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    I’ve played both parts, about 10 years apart, in the following little playlet: Enthusiastic music student approaches band member in the interval or afterwards. “Loved the way you guys reharmonised the bridge on chorus seven; the unorthodox dynamics in the codetta; the way you quoted Ligeti during that Benny Golson tune…” “Did we really do…

  • Modus Operandi

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    There’s a certain type of semi-modal tune that comprises slabs – 4, 2 or even 1 bar long – of different modes chosen seemingly at random (seemingly). These tunes stubbornly resist traditional harmonic analysis. (I say semi-modal. I’ll leave the strict categorisation to the academics – they love a good row.) I’m thinking of tunes…

  • Playing Presto Assai Can

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    When I was a fluffy and precocious piano student, before my classical chops succumbed to middle-age spread, I once had a fantastic lesson with a visiting Russian prof that has stayed with me to this day. I was a flashy young buck, and much enamoured of Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsodies at the time. The one I happened…

  • All in the Same Throat

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    Polyphonic overtone singing demonstrated by Anna-Maria Hefele: (My cat became very interested, and a singer has already been back to me about getting on to the union…)

  • Frankly My Dear… He Gives a Damn

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    If you haven’t heard of pianist Dave Frank, this is your lucky day. He’s a formidable, eclectic performer; a former Piano Prof at Berkelee, before he founded his own school in NYC; author of two books and a DVD (published by Hal Leonard); and a genial, incredibly generous and prolific video educator. Check out his stuff…

  • Drop 2 More

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    I wrote about Drop 2 last year here and I’ve had some feedback (a few people really loved the picture of the Golden Retriever with four tennis balls in her mouth – so here she is for a well-deserved encore). In particular, I’ve been asked variations on the following question: “All very well, mate, and…

  • Spam Attack

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    Jason
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    For some unfathomable reason, I’ve recently experienced a severe spam attack. For an equally unfathomable reason, I’ve suddenly received a dump of a couple of years’ worth of emails from my old address (which I had thought was linked – thanks Steve “Prancing 200lb Baby” Ballmer for all your useless Apple-chasing swipey-swipey kinda-cool silliness* and mismanaging what’s really necessary).…

  • Jack Massarik

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    Sad to report that Jack Massarik, the London Evening Standard’s jazz critic, died on 13 July at the age of 74. The dreaded C. He was very passionate about jazz and wrote knowledgeably and entertainingly on the subject. He was until almost the end a regular and friendly presence at all sorts of gigs. Usually sitting quietly near…

  • La Mer… Qu’on Voit Danser…

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    Jason
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    Got a few projects on, so I’m taking a little holiday from blogging for a couple of weeks. Hope my dedicated 51.2531 readers (it says here) will be able to handle the disappointment. Hey, I’m sanguine about it – the only time a jazz musician is ever going to be on a yacht, it won’t be…