: Mozart
I’ve been on a Mozart kick for the last month. Sorry Bach. Sorry Chopin. So sorry Beatles, and Meade Lux Lewis, and Otis Spann and all the other great music that inspires me. This month, Mozart is the man.
This is likely a true story about Mozart. I first heard it as a child, and you can now find it out on that interweb thing. The story goes like this:
Mozart was close friends with another great composer Hayden. Hayden challenged Mozart to compose a piece of music which he (Hayden that is) could not play – at stake is a champagne supper. Mozart goes into a corner and in 5 minutes whips out a piece of music. Hayden sits down in front of the piano and starts playing. It’s a simple piece of music but all of sudden in the middle of the piece Hayden is stuck. The piece calls for three notes to be played. Two of the notes are at opposite ends of the piano, while the third is directly in the middle. If you play the notes at the opposite ends of the piano, no human being has hands big enough to stretch to the middle except Paul Bunyan. Hayden shouts out “No one can play this piece, not even the composer”. So. Mozart sits down at the piano and starts playing. When he gets to the impossible section he plays the two end notes with his hands. And the note in the middle? Mozart was endowed with a very large nose and – you guessed it – Mozart bends down to the keyboard plays the middle note with his nose. Admidst laughter, Hayden acknowledges that nature had given Mozart a great gift.
I have never tried this particular trick, but come to a show and give me the challenge and maybe I’ll take you up. Just bring some tissues with you.
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Sept 7, Friday, 7:00-9:00ish PM – Arne Englund, Ruthie’s BBQ, 64 1/2 Chestnut Ave, Montclair (973) 509-1134
This is an encore performance from Arnie’s previous Ruthie’s show in July. Arnie has put together a phenomenal rhythm section with Matt Patuto on drums and Phil Butler on bass. With these two guys I could spit on the keyboard and I would sound great. The weather is supposed to be cooperative tomorrow evening, but if if looks like rain call ahead to see what’s going on as we’re playing out on the patio As always with Ruthie’s BYOB.
http://www.ruthiesbbq.com/
https://www.facebook.com/arne.englund.1
Sept 15, Saturday, 7:00-9:00ish PM – Nikki Armstrong, Ruthie’s BBQ, 64 1/2 Chestnut Ave, Montclair (973) 509-1134
I’ve done many a show with Nikki over the years, but always with a full band. This time around, Nikki & I will be going it alone. Nikki is super versatile – she can belt out the blues, she can can rock n roll, or she can turn it around and do a sultry ballad. As this is Ruthie’s, we will be leaning more on the blues side of things, but we’re gonna try to sneak in a few standards. This is Nikki’s first time playing at Ruthie’s so come out and make her welcome.
http://www.ruthiesbbq.com/
http://www.myspace.com/nikkiarmstrongbands
http://www.nikkiarmstrong.com/
September 29, Saturday, 10:00PM-1:00AM – Better Off Dead at The Great Notch Inn, Route 46, Little Falls (973) 256-7742
The boys are back in town for another chapter in the ongoing moveable feast. How many metaphors can I mix in one sentence?
http://www.betteroffdead.com/home.htm/
http://www.agreatertown.com/little_falls_nj/great_notch_inn_new_jerseys_rockin_roadhouse_00089580