Portamental is dedicated to the exploration of music in all its forms and the promotion of musical understanding for all. Contributors include:
Pianist, instrumentalist, vocalist, arranger, molecular biologist and music theorist. Former Music Director of the Achordants. For arranging services, see Broze Brothers Music; for performing and lessons, see Yuri Broze.com.
Accomplished guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and photographer.
Composer, arranger, double bassist, writer, and didgeridoo builder. Music Director of Brandeis University's Rather Be Giraffes. For arrangement and other sundry music services, check out MusicaRanger.
We like InterCaps.
The first of many to come, I imagine. I’ll be posting on this blog various jazz tunes in the form of recordings and/or sheet music — in the near future, I’ll be sticking to some ricky-ticky jazz classics from the prewar era if possible, since this music is much more diatonic and easier to learn. [...]
Bobby McFerrin is a master of music, but also of the arts in general — his concerts are focused on breaking the audience free of their bounds and investing themselves personally in the performance, becoming performers themselves. Removing people of their fears and encouraging them to expore music is the best way to educate and [...]
Dick Hyman is a tremendous chameleon of a jazz pianist as well as a visionary jazz educator. His conception of piano playing from the Romantic era through the mid-20th Century is phenomenal, and he is able to demonstrate with clarity and panache many of the techniques of the great jazz musicians. If you can see [...]
My collegiate piano instructor, Ed Paolantonio, learned his trade form Lennie Tristano, a great but oft-overlooked hero of jazz piano. This I have always known; what is news to me is that Tristano was blind from birth, a trait that would go on to influence his jazz education methodology tremendously and help shape the way [...]
