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In the spirit of and coinciding with the Call for Submissions for the 15th ABF Recital (link here ) the August Piano Bar is hereby launched.

To open the Bar here is a simple version of that classic old Scottish folk tune "Loch Lomond" - they say the lake (with it's "bonney, bonney banks") is as beautiful as the song that commemorates it. Someday I hope to make this determination in person! Enjoy.

Loch Lomond

Regards, JF

Speaking of Scotland, thought you might enjoy listening to this beautiful song from there by one of the best singers ever - Jo Stafford:

Flow Gently, Sweet Afton

JF,

Your recording always sounds crisp and clear. Strangely, this Scottish folk song sounds, in some parts, a little bit like a Chinese song I heard (In fact, the first several notes are almost the same) That just proves music has no borders or nationality.

As I promised the other day to choose between my two new songs to submit one to the recital and the other to the piano bar, here is the "less-preferred" one. It is still rough here and there, and the fact that I didn't enjoy learning it shows in my playing.

Claudine ( Tonci Huljic )

TB

TB - really lovely tune - excellent LH/RH control - the constant LH figurations with variable chords is not easy and you handle them with skill - very nice concurrent contol over the RH melody line too - it's almost like listening to a piano duet! Excellent job

After hearing this (along with your previous efforts) I think you might want to promote yourself from TrueBeginner to TrueAdvancedIntermediate

Regards, JF

JohnFrank, nice job with Loch Lomond. I remember learning this as one of the first pieces I played in my trumpet days.

TrueBeginner, that is a beautiful song, and you played it quite well. Huljic (howdoes one pronounce that, anyway) is quite a talented composer. I didn;t think it sounded tough at all. If this is the rough one, I can't wait to hear your recital piece.

JF, nice classic song.
TB, I didn't know that song, it's very nice.

Here's my contribution, it's my own version of Beatles song And I Love Her
and the video

Serge

JF - nicely done. I actually tapped my foot all through it.

TrueB - also well done - I, too, liked the left hand.

Serge88 - your own arrangement, huh? I still have no skills in that direction without taking enormous amounts of time (read: months) on a single tune. I liked yours.

Cathy

John Frank - That piece is perfect for solo piano. You played it simply and elegantly.

True Beginner - I have never heard this piece before but really enjoyed it. Your playing sounds quite professional for a "True Beginner."

Serge88 - very nice arrangement. I liked watching your video performance.

Ravel, "Jeux D'eau" (Water Fountains)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDpb0VAbUqY

I played this for a recital, very badly. I played better for this video.

The ending is my favourite ending in any piece of music. When I hear it, I close my eyes and get lost in the imagery of it all. (starting at 5;20 or so)

I wanted to play something for this month's Piano Bar but couldn't decide what to record.

Sometimes the answer is right in front of you - Something abridged version (I left out the second verse).

JF, thumbs up from me (for obvious reasons!)

And yeah, it's as nice as they say (just be sure to call it a 'loch' rather than a lake )

Lots of good stuff here already this month. Bill, Has anyone ever told you that you sound like the late Charlie Rich? I can hear you singing "Behind closed Doors" Or "The most beautiful girl in the world"

b528nf7, your video is unavailable from youtube.

Theowne, it's really wonderful.


Serge

Euan - thanks, and do you have any photos of the loch that you could share with us - would love to see them

Regards, JF

P.S. I've always been a big fan of singer/songwriter Dougie McClean (sp. ?)- are you familiar with his work?

Serge - thanks. Youtube was having processing problems. Should be ok now. Here is the link again.

very Nice serge...like the keyboard on the top too...

And without sheet music!!

Serge, nice job. I enjoyed watching.

Theowne, that is very impressive. I really don't enjoy this piece, but I know it is very challenging. Great job.

b528nf7, that is a very nice cover of a classic Beatles song. Wonderful job on the playing. The singing, ain't half bad, either.

John Frank - good job on Loch Lomond - very enjoyable.

TrueBeginner - I really liked that piece (Claudine). Good job keeping the left hand going at a steady tempo while the right hand did complicated stuff.

Serge, love that old Beatles song, and you played it perfectly. Great set up!

Theowne, awesome, masterful, beautiful. I loved it.

Bill, another great job. And again, I didn't mind the strings!

So here is my piece - the simplest song in all of jazz -- C Jam Blues. There are only two notes, but somehow I still hit the wrong one now and then. (Hey, I once got lost in a town with two streets - I got on the wrong one and couldn't figure out how to get on the other.) I am playing from a lead sheet, using Band In A Box to provide the drums, bass, and vibes.

I suppose I should confess I plagiarized a bit from and old Duke Ellington recording. (There, I feel better now.)

http://members.aol.com/riddlereader/cjamblues.mp3


Ed