World Music Exploration - La Oreja de Van Gogh

Thanks again to my Virtual Choir mate Luma Zuri for finding this week's clip of the week. We are exploring the music of La Oreja de Van Gogh (Van Gogh's Ear). This Spanish pop/rock band earned an Ondas Award for Best New Act for their debut "Dile al Sol".

La Oreja de Van Gogh

is popular on both sides of the Atlantic.

This is Comets in the Sky (Cometas por al Cielo):

La Oreja de Van Gogh Website

Click on the CD image below to check out more of La Oreja de Van Gogh's music:

(c) 2012 by Musespeak (TM), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Pia no Jac First Contact Album Review

→Pia no Jac←was founded in 2005 by pianist Hayato Tatsunari and percussionist Tadahiro “Hiro” Moritomi. The band name is a combination of Hayato and Hiro's instruments: “piano” and “cajón”.

In the early days, the pair performed everywhere from footbridges and shopping malls to ballet classes and night clubs. The duo has since performed in France, Thailand and Taiwan, Korea and Japan.

This jazz group's music is a jazz fusion that incorporates J-pop, Jazz, Rock and Classical. Hayato and Hiro describe their music as “hybrid instrumental” and they seek to entertain audiences with their technical ability, showmanship and humor shine through.

→Pia no Jac← has worked with several heavy hitters in the Japanese entertainment industry, including commercial creator, Michihiko Yanai, composer/director Joe Hisaishi, ARASHI and SQUARE ENIX. The duo have released nine albums to date.

First Contact Highlights

The opening track, “Suite Quote-unquote” is a fast-paced number that showcases the music duo's hybrid style. The opening theme is sounds like a piano exercise performed at a breakneck tempo, but when combined with a frenetic groove on the cajón, it becomes something different. It then switches from a Latin flavor to a bit of swing.

"Floral Heartstring (Canon)" (Track 4) is a sweet number. The piece is Baroque in form (canon), while the melody is romantic in nature. The cajón is very subtle, allowing the dreamy melody to soar throughout on the piano.

The final track, “Jack” brings the album to a dramatic close. It's an aggressive blend of boogie and rock. The piano has several boogie and blues licks, containing equal doses of syncopated rhythms and rapid chromatic runs. Rock and combined with a driving galloping groove resound on the cajón.

First Contact is fun album with catchy tracks that showcase this music duo's “hybrid instrumental” style. One word of advice from one listener to another: If you tend to have a lead foot on the gas pedal, do not drive while listening to the fast numbers on this album (or any →Pia no Jac← album, for that matter). This album is bound to raise any listener's energy level.

First Contact Track Listing

1. Suite Quote-unquote

2. Erosion

3. Run Rabbit Run

4. Floral Heartstring (Canon)

5. blue moon

6. Jack

7. BONUS: First Contact contains the video clip of 組曲『 』(Kumikyoku)

Produced by: Keiichi Kato

Label: Shinko Music Records, 2008

Check out Pia no Jac's music at CD Japan by clicking the icon below:

First Contact

Pia-no-jaC

Pia no Jac Website

Pia no Jac on Twitter

(c) 2012 by Rhona-Mae Arca, Musespeak(TM). All rights reserved. 

Online Music Resources Spotlight: Making Music Fun

Making Music Fun is a friendly site with music games, music worksheets, free sheet music and music resources. These are geared toward beginner to early intermediate-level students.

There is a nice selection of note-naming worksheets as well as interval worksheets. They are visually appealing to young students. There are also composer word searches.

Making Music Fun is well laid out. Visit the Music Library and learn all about a composer. There are composer biographies, worksheets, lesson plans and sheet music. You can also access this information in the Print It section.

There is also an arcade, which contains two music theory games ("Music Distress" and "Eek Shark!"). All worksheets are available for free.

(c) 2012 by Musespeak(TM), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

World Music Exploation - Spanish Jazz-Fussion

I had to call for assistance for this week's selections. Special thanks to Luma Zuri, one of my friends from

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir 3.0, for introducing us to the music of Bebo Valdes and Diego El Cigala.

Bebo Valdes is a Grammy winning Afro-Cuban pianist, composer and arranger.

Diego El Cigala is a Grammy-nominated cantaor (flamenco singer). Their music is a fussion of jazz and flamenco. Listen carefully to the rhythm section (piano, drums and bass).

Their grooves combine flamenco and Afro-Cuban rhythms. The harmonies are typical of music both flamenco and jazz (love those "blues" intervals). The piano and drum licks? Pure jazz.

This is "Lagrimas Negros" ("Black Tears"), which is one of Luma's faves. I just love that piano intro.

I don't know about you, but thanks to Luma, I need to add Valdes and El Cigala's music to my music collection. You can explore more of Bebo Valdes music here:

(c) 2012 by Musespeak(TM), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

World Music Exploration - Fandango by Antonio Soler

The first time I heard the music of Soler was at the Honens International Piano Competition. The sonata reminded me a bit of Domenico Scarlatti's music.Years later, I learned his Sonata in c# minor, which was a lot of fun:

This week, I'm introducing Padre Antonio Soler to my students.

This Spanish (more specifically, Catalan) priest and composer lived  from 1729 - 1783. He is best known for his 120 keyboard sonatas. Soler also composed chamber music, organ concerti and liturgical music.

My ears did not deceive me all those years ago. There is also a Scarlatti connection. Soler was a pupil of Scarlatti

.Here is the clip I'm sharing with my students. The harpsichordist is Mayako Sone from Japan:

The fandango is a Spanish dance. It's a spirited dance in triple meter, usually played on guitar and castanets. It can be sung as well.

If you're up for a challenge, you can get your sheet music for Fandango here:

look inside

Fandango Composed by Padre Antonio Soler (1729-1783). Edited by Samuel Rubio. Music Sales America. Classical. Book Only. Union Musical Ediciones #MUSUMP21604. Published by Union Musical Ediciones (HL.14030574).

(c) 2012 by Musespeak(TM) . All rights reserved.