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.
Wow — the difference in quality in writing and composition between these two songs is pretty staggering, but Stevie absolutely was learning as he went. The return of Diana Ross in this one, for those who were wondering what was about to happen after that last clip a few days ago. If you can see [...]
The goodness just keeps coming. Here’s more Stevie, live in his youth: If you can see this, then you might need a Flash Player upgrade or you need to install Flash Player if it’s missing. Get Flash Player from Adobe. More tongue-clicking at 1:29! And he looks like he’s sitting particularly low at the keyboard; [...]
Required viewing: I cannot imagine a more captivating talk on music appreciation — he accomplishes so much in a very very short time period.
The Wall Street Journal on a Keith Jarrett album: It is the most successful solo jazz album of all time, but Keith Jarrett wants to see each of the 3.5 million copies of “The Köln Concert” stomped into the ground. (via Metafilter).
Here’s Sammy Davis Jr. being his bad self, with a truly kicking band behind him (and some very impressive soul girls!). Sammy seems a bit ridiculous here, spinning around underneath an enormous cutout of himself, but these were ridiculous times, ladies and gentlemen. His phrases are all timed so casually; it’s almost as though he [...]
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 [...]
