Thanks Marty, today I'm going to read a fantasy story that I wrote. With a musical background that I wrote.
One of the best things about being a music composition student is getting other music students to help with composition recitals. When you write a piece with six parts, many of them on expensive instruments, it's not easy to arrange to have the piece read. Unless you're in a music department filled with excellent musicians who love to play and help each other out on recitals as a matter of course.
On "Elphonium" you will hear Caitlyn Lyerly - flute, Al Clevenger - vibes, Josh Huffstutler - marimbas, Gabe Waters - bass, Chris Isom - drums, and Hairy Larry reading spoken word. These students are all from Northeast Arkansas or Southeast Missouri and they were all in the ASU jazz program. So here's a big shout out to these students and all the other students who helped with my recitals over the years. And years and years. Yes, I was in the music department for almost 20 years.
Now about that story.
I originally published "Elphonium" on my website, SFF Short Stories and then as a minizine. I was inspired by a piece of art by indrikoff at Deviant Art. I will post links to the story, the minizine and the art at the Something Blue website, sbblues.com.
The story is about a king who went riding with his jester and his groom into a magic forest where they were ensorcelled by music played by elves on the Elphonium.
After I wrote the music for Elphonium I wanted to be sure that the spoken word part was short enough to fit in the space provided for it in the score. So Vivian and I went over every sentence deleting every unecessary word and random thought that wasn't required by the story. They say that 90% of writing is rewriting. Most rewriting is taking out the stuff you don't really need.
On the day of the recital I had prepared a slideshow of public domain artwork by Arthur Rackham, a famous fantasy artist who worked in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
So the artwork is public domain except for Elphonium which was used with permission. The story and the music were written by me and I have licensed them Creative Commons Attribution so others can use and build on this work just like I used the art of Arthur Rachham. And thanks to Indrikoff for giving me permission to use his fantastic drawing of a magic horn.
The entire recital was released as an album.
So now, recorded at the ASU Bandroom on November 30, 2018, here's my piece, the title track of my album "Elphonium"
And that was "Elphonium", a piece I wrote played by ASU students in the band room on November 30, 2018. Don't miss Something Blue, Saturday night at 10:00, to hear more great jazz by Bob Reynolds, Christian Peterman, The Sextet, and Steve Lawson all licensed Creative Commons.
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DJ Hairy Larry With Bob Reynolds Playing Where Did You Come From
Something Blue - Star - 29 second spot
This is Hairy Larry inviting you to enjoy Something Blue every Saturday night at ten. This week we’re featuring Bob Reynolds, Christian Peterman, The Sextet, and Steve Lawson. For more about the show visit the Something Blue website at https://sbblues.com.
Don’t miss Something Blue, Saturday night at 10:00 PM CST, at http://kasu.org.
Collaborate On Crates With Hairy Larry
Turn this jazz trio into a quartet
Recorded Live at HairyLarryLand on 2024-01-04
In a nutshell
Play along while listening on headphones.
Record to phone or tablet in vertical mode (portrait not landscape).
Share your video with hairylarry@gmail.com.
I will add your video to the left side of this video and post the finished video.
Details
Your shot
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Pick a good background in a well lit room.
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Collaborate On Crates With Hairy Larry
Turn this jazz trio into a quartet
Recorded Live at HairyLarryLand on 2024-01-04
In a nutshell
Play along while listening on headphones.
Record to phone or tablet in vertical mode (portrait not landscape).
Share your video with hairylarry@gmail.com.
I will add your video to the left side of this video and post the finished video.
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I played this on my twitch livestream on October 17, 2021, with an arrangement designed for collaboration. Collaborators play over a piano trio with the bass and drums provided by an irealpro script with the chords for my original song, "Malaysia". The irealpro app can be viewed running on my tablet on the right side of the video screen.
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Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear a song I wrote this year and recorded at HairyLarryLand.
Paul Lessard is one of the finest jazz saxophonists I have ever worked with. When he joined the faculty at ASU I went to meet him to talk about music composition because, the truth is, there’s just not that many people into the nuts and bolts of music theory and composition. When I found out that he played jazz saxophone I knew I wanted to play with him.
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I died choking on a carrot - final proof healthy living is a scam. I wake up in a glowing lobby that smells like eucalyptus and unresolved emotions.
In walks God, looking more like a tired barista than a thunder-wielding deity: hoodie, sandals, coffee mug that says "#1 Creator." They give me a kind smile. "Hey" they say, "Ready to reincarnate?"
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Thanks Marty, today we’re going to bring the funk as played by a band that was popular here in Jonesboro before the pandemic.
Of course I’m talking about The Funk Donors. I never did get to hear them play live but I knew them by their reputation and I wanted to go see them since some of my friends were in the band. Fortunately they recorded a great album, “Flatland” and if you love live music like I do you can watch their videos on Youtube.
This all started when I went to see luvtrst. play at Stage Too. I was talking to Brian Nobles when he mentioned that he used to play in a band with Cody Ballard, the saxophonist in luvtrst. Well, my inquiring ears want to hear so I found out about the band and their album, “Flatland”.
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This is Hairy Larry inviting you to enjoy Something Blue every Saturday night at ten. This week we’re featuring Gary Gazaway, Lisa Ahia, Rebekah Todd, and Karina Rykman. For more about the show visit the Something Blue website at sbblues.com.
Don’t miss Something Blue, Saturday night at 10:00 PM Central, at kasu.org.
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Bebop Beatniks Live At Blues Fest Craighead Forest Bandshell Jonesboro, Arkansas September 24, 2023
Songs
00:00 African Violet 11:24 Thanks Mr. Cloud … 12:14 The Blue Crane 21:20 The dance floor is open … 21:42 Low Earth Orbit 31:08 Honky Tonk Jazz … 31:54 Sail Boats 38:37 In the audience … 39:15 Freddy’s Blues 45:34 Silence … 45:19 Malaysia 55:53 Introducing the band …
All songs by Larry Heyl
Personnel
Tyler Remagen - sax and flute Hairy Larry - piano and vocals Jeremy Jackson - bass Alex Washam - drums Conley Hunt - percussion and vocals
Bebop Beatniks Larry Heyl Composition Recital ASU Band Room September 10, 2023
Songs
00:00 African Violet 14:30 The Blue Crane 23:30 introducing the band … 24:24 Low Earth Orbit 33:32 Sail Boats 42:22 Freddy’s Blues 52:35 Malaysia
All songs by Larry Heyl
Personnel
Rike Robinson - trombone and vocals Tyler Remagen - sax and flute Cody Daugherty - trumpet Sophie Hacker - guitar and vocals Craig Collison - drums Jeremy Jackson - bass Conley Hunt - percussion and vocals Hairy Larry - piano and vocals
Livestreamed to Youtube from my Samsung Galaxy S10
Bebop Beatniks At Beatles Park Walnut Ridge, Arkansas May 27, 2023
Songs
00:00 We are Bebop Beatniks … 00:23 The Blue Crane 08:53 What a wonderful audience … 09:00 Candles 16:43 I’m going to rap … 17:04 African Violet 28:24 When Conley was a percussion student … 28:48 Low Earth Orbit 38:17 OK, here’s a swing song … 38:25 Sailboats 45:11 Crates is the companion piece to Candles … 45:20 Crates 53:36 One more song … 53:46 Malaysia
Personnel
Hairy Larry - piano, vocals Alex Washam - drums Conley Hunt - percussion Rike Robinson - trombone
Bebop Beatniks
On The Twitch Porch
April 2, 2023
Songs
00:00 Stardust by Hoagy Carmichael, public domain
08:27 African Violet
17:05 Sail Boats
24:26 Malaysia
33:37 Low Earth Orbit
42:37 The Blue Crane
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