From: owner-precious-things-digest@smoe.org (precious-things-digest) To: precious-things-digest@smoe.org Subject: precious-things-digest V8 #62 Reply-To: precious-things@smoe.org Sender: owner-precious-things-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-precious-things-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "precious-things-digest-request@smoe.org" X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. precious-things-digest Monday, March 10 2003 Volume 08 : Number 062 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: NYC RCMH Night 2 Review [Richard Handal ] Tori in Texas ["Sarah Bowman" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 13:01:05 -0500 (EST) From: Richard Handal Subject: Re: NYC RCMH Night 2 Review Brian posted: > The more I followed her singing, the more the comparison with the > great jazz musicians like Coltrane, Monk, and Parker came to mind > unbidden. Timing. Phrasing. Absolutely, but let us include Frank Sinatra, too. Sinatra had a way of singing in concert that even though one might be well used to how he had sung a song on a studio recording, it would be impossible to sing along in one's head when hearing him in concert because of how drastically he would shift phrasing and employ so much fresh nuance. One thing this does is encourage the concert listener to closely follow on a moment-to-moment basis what is being sung, because otherwise, when singing along mentally at a concert one would quickly be at odds with the vocal line. This effect of bringing along the listener from one moment to the next is one way both Sinatra and Tori make for such compelling listening. Being an instrumentalist, Tori is also doing this with her playing even as she does it with her singing. If one listens to tapes of extended recording sessions with Sinatra (available mainly on bootlegs) it quickly becomes apparent that he's trying out a variety of phrasing all the time from one take to the next. I don't think Tori has the same work procedure Frank used in which tape would be kept rolling and he would sing one take after the other live with his backing players who were *also* performing live anew with each of his vocal takes, and from what I've come to understand (since the Pele era, anyway) Tori records/erases over takes she doesn't like so we'll probably never know how much Tori has played around with vocal delivery in the studio before settling on a given concept (which I think is a historical loss), but there is much recorded documentation of her concerts, so even without having to attend many concerts one can experience how she shifts her delivery around from concert to concert. This constant shifting of expression based on how her day went and other things which combine to put her head in a particular place is what makes one concert different from another more than the changing setlist does, personalizes it, and places it more in the moment. Someone once quoted me from a private conversation in which I said, "Screw the setlist." While I do appreciate variety in the songs from one concert to the next, for me, the difference in the list of songs performed from one night to the next takes a back seat in importance to the experience of hearing the variety of ways in which she inflects some of the same material from night to night. It's an endless process of discovery, one I find intellectually as well as emotionally and spiritually stimulating. > All that music theory stuff that's well above my head, but the technical > things that, no matter how much you know about music in your *head*, > your *heart* understands perfectly. This is what it's about; what matters. I feel it's illuminating to delve into some of the theory details, even at a basic level, but it doesn't help the average listener enjoy the music anymore when one hears it than looking at the innards of a wind-up watch helps you know what time it is. I think it's fascinating, though. I like knowing how things work. For me it builds appreciation and respect, too. What matters in enjoying the music is always the heart. With Tori Amos music, anyhow. > I'd also like to publicly thank Richard for the tickets. Thanks! (Christ.) You're welcome. Since I can't see concerts right now I'm happy that someone so dedicated to the music could use them. I'm just sorry your description was so vivid. ;-) Be seeing you, Richard Handal, H.G. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 08 Mar 2003 22:39:04 -0600 From: "Sarah Bowman" Subject: Tori in Texas I was wondering if anyone knew the presale details for Tori in Austin and Dallas (if that info is out there yet). I know the Houston and San Antonio presales are on the same day (march 15)... Thanks!! screamincathedrals ------------------------------ End of precious-things-digest V8 #62 ************************************